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Town of AmherstBoard of SelectmenNovember 20, 2006
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Chairman Bruce Bowler called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. Selectmen present: Reed Panasiti, Thomas Grella, George Infanti and Jay Dinkel. Also present Town Administrator Gary MacGuire and Executive Assistant Sharon Frydlo.
There were no questions or concerns from members of the audience.
Police Chief Peter Lyon told the Board that his Department had completed the promotional process that included a written test, assessment and Board of Evaluation. It was with great pleasure that he welcomed Anthony Ciampoli as the Department’s newest Sergeant. He performed highly during the process, was with the Town for four years and was an exemplary employee. Mr. Infanti moved to go with the Chief’s recommendation to appoint Anthony Ciampoli as the new Police Sergeant effective December 1, second by Mr. Grella. Vote: Unanimous. Mr. Bowler advised that in talking to the Chief, they will have another gathering at a later date when the Selectmen will be introduced to other new officers.
Town Clerk Nancy Demers reported that the Motor Vehicle registrations were running normally. There were no big decreases or increases. They have not gone online yet, advised the Board of a training phase as well as State computer glitches and it was her hope they will go online soon. She spoke of postage and printing increases, much due to sending out a great deal of absentee ballots. In 2004 she sent out over 1,000 absentee ballots at eighty cents each. At the last March Town Meeting, she had sent out over 400 at a cost of $1.11 each. Mr. MacGuire explained that the cost of printing the ’06 ballots should have gone into the printing line rather than where it was originally taken out of and it had been corrected thereby making this line looking as a large increase, but was only a correction. In response to Mr. Dinkel’s question, she indicated that there was nothing she could do to control printing costs. The Town ballot gets quite lengthy and the State does nothing electronically. Mr. MacGuire advised they had not been accurately projecting this budget and this was the first year he forced the issue. In this budget, it has been a correction in what they have done in the past.
W&M commented that they were satisfied with the budget and was a budget that has value to the Town. In reference to revenue, Mrs. Demers advised that people in Town were not buying the more expensive vehicles that they had in the past. Mr. MacGuire also explained they looked at year-to-date for eight months and ended up a bit conservative. Another factor was that the Town Clerk talked about going onto the Mapping System that will be online and there is a problem in determining what additional revenue this will bring, in since there was not much information coming from other communities. Mrs. Demers added her office will not see the big tractor trailers being registered – she thought the limit might be for 6000 pounds, however, they do have big pickups in Town. They will be able to issue vanity plates as well as the moose plates. They have to get the computers underway and she was looking forward to take on all of this.
Tax Collector Budget Presentation
Tax Collector Gail Stout advised there were few changes in her budget. The staff remained the same with the largest increase of $400 being with the tax lien and deed research. These costs were passed along to the delinquent taxpayers through the lien process as well as the registry fees for filing the liens were offset through the tax lien process. She briefly talked about the small increases in her budget on office supplies and postage. There was a small increase in longevity and overall the budget was over $2300. She also briefly spoke about the revenue side of her budget. Board members had no questions.
Mrs. Stout commented on proposing a warrant article for the disabled and she had done some research on surrounding towns. Merrimack has a $7500 exemption and an extremely high number of folks (35) with the asset income levels. There is an actual exemption level of about $1400 per year and they can set any level they were comfortable with and could match the exemption for VA. Bedford’s level was $5200 and have six applicants which she believed would be closer to Amherst and she did not believe it would be a huge amount. New Boston has three applicants and receive a $3200 exemption. Milford, Hollis and Goffstown don’t have an exemption for them. She was interested in drafting a warrant article for the Board’s review. Also the elderly needed a lot of help. The issue is for the BOS to increase the asset level and exemptions in the future. Mr. Bowler asked her for numbers they can compare all of this information to.
DPW Budget Presentation
Cemeteries
Cemetery Trustees Kevin Grassett, Peter Bergin and Marie Grella were present. Chairman Bergin briefly spoke of the past history in 1989 when the Trustees had taken money out of the Trust Funds to maintain the cemeteries and that there was money received in interest rates to maintain the cemeteries. They didn’t need to come to the Town to make this part of the Town budget. He indicated that Mrs. Grella and Selectman’s Liaison Mr. Infanti took a tour of the Town’s cemeteries and they presented a series of photographs of various areas of concern and repair needed based on broken tomb stones and overgrown vegetation. He spoke of the replacement and building that had been done over the years saving the Town a substantial amount of money.
They now had serious manpower problems that they needed to attend to. They did not have enough manpower within Director Berry’s Department to deal with this. Mrs. Grella commented on the photographs she had taken on a walk through the Town’s cemeteries and which showed some of the work needed to maintain them. She specifically described the needed work to be done for the various repairs. The photos presented were of the Old Cemetery behind Town Hall, Meadowview and Cricket Corner. As Cemetery Trustee Liaison, Mr. Infanti added that Mr. Berry’s Department can keep up with the general mowing, however, he personally felt they needed to fix the broken stones and take care of other areas in respect to the people who were buried in the cemeteries. The cemeteries needed work and they continually get worse. Mr. Bergin handed out a spreadsheet that he spoke about. Discussion ensued about the hiring of a person to maintain the cemeteries.
Mr. Dinkel felt the issue for him was going from $7700 to almost $64,000 and was too much in one year. Mr. Grassett indicated they were not asking to replace everything within a year or two. The cemeteries have been seriously neglected in the past four years and they will be out of money in the next several years. Mr. Bergin added they generate approximately $25,000 in interest and they can’t maintain them the way they have been maintained. He spoke of having to hiring a landscape architect and the cost of a plan for Cemetery Fields. Mr. Dinkel did not feel they should put the burden on the taxpayers by raising this amount in one year, but rather they should raise the funds in incremental steps as they have done in the past.
Mr. Panasiti indicated he did not have a full grasp on the use of the Cemetery Trust income and how much of the maintenance was a one time job vs. having someone do a job year after year. There were other areas in Town such as the Schools and Recreation Department that have a problem with mowing, this was a town-wide problem, they all needed resources and this should be looked at. Mrs. Grella commented they try to get as much free services as possible that is not paid for by the Town. Mr. Bergin commented that the Trustees will have a better idea of costs when the consultant comes back in the spring. Mr. Bowler asked if it was possible for Terry Knowles, of the AG’s Office, would meet with them in a question and answer session. Mr. Bergin indicated he will ask her if she could meet with all of them at some point in time.
Mr. Berry answered W&M’s question pertaining to putting chemicals on the cemetery lawns, the guidelines pertaining to plantings, and the salary being proposed for the cemetery employee. Mr. Grassett briefly spoke about the difference between perpetual care funds and cy pres money. In answer to Deidra Rogusky’s question, Mr. Bergin advised that every year they receive a report on the funds from Bank of America who monitors the funds for the Trustees of the Trust Funds.
Mr. Grassett advised they received a quote from Billy Clark to tear down the wall and rebuild it at $39,200. Mr. Bowler asked if the Trustees could try and help a bit with this budget in order to soften the blow on the bottom line. Mr. Bergin mentioned they would be meeting in early December and will get back to the Selectmen.
4194 General Government Buildings
DPW Director Bruce Berry reported there was very little change in this budget, one of the biggest increases, however, was in electricity and lighting at 4%. Building contracts were up because vendors were raising their rates. Trash removal had doubled. The Solid Waste Committee felt that all the Town buildings should be recycling and after talking to the janitors there would be a need to add another dumpster at the Police Station in order to do this. Mr. Bowler indicated that this may be more of an expense to the Town rather than a savings and he would personally have to rethink this further.
4311 Public Works Administration
Mr. Berry advised there was an increase in wages based on a step and COLA, health and dental insurance, longevity, training and development. There was a decrease in engineering and Stormwater II as some of those funds had been transferred to Zoning. The IT wages were up as a result of what they were realistically being charged. In response to Mr. Panasiti’s question, Mr. Berry advised mileage was for employees use of their personal vehicles and based on the IRS rates. He told W&M, in response to their question, that his Department processes over $70,000 worth of bills each week. Many of those bills were associated with bid contracts that affect DPW such as gas, diesel and home heating oil and cover all the Town buildings and this task was overwhelming for one person.
4312 Department of Public Works
Mr. Berry reported on the areas that were increasing, citing wages for an additional employee, street sweeping, tools because they were now working on police cruisers, tires, signs, calcium chloride which is used for winter maintenance as well as dust control in the summer and the sidewalk plow/mower lease which included the cost of the Zipper. Mr. Bowler commented that they may want to talk about putting the Zipper as a warrant article or into the operating budget. Mr. MacGuire suggested that when they begin discussing warrant articles they may want to first see how many there are and then make a decision on the Zipper. In response to W&M’s questions, Mr. Berry told them that originally the person for the cemetery was to be full time. After the Trustees’ last meeting, he reduced the budget to include a six month part time position. The new hire would be under the Baboosic Lake Community Septic System. Relative to wages being charged back to the user, Mr. Berry explained that none of the wages have been discussed with the Selectmen. They would have to take this under advisement because currently they were not structured this way.
4316 Street Lighting
Mr. Berry reported this budget was up 19.57%. He advised that after the conversion there was an initial benefit, however, the Town has increased the lighting.
4323 Souhegan Regional Landfill District
Mr. Berry indicated that the District consists of four communities. The cost to each town is based on population. There was also a recent $85,000 error discovered. The other three communities and the District budgets are based on a calendar year. Mr. Bowler added Amherst had three Commissioners on the Board. The other towns were just as upset about this error and it wasn’t something they did intentionally, but they had to make up and pay back the difference. The Board briefly discussed the $200,000 earmarked for Amherst’s Transfer Station. Mr. Berry explained to Neal Foley that of the $500,000 most of it goes for the disposal and trucking of trash. The District owns 95% of the equipment at the Transfer Station. He was comfortable with the situation because there “was strength in numbers”. Mr. Bowler added they will always be tied to this because of the old landfill situation. Mr. Berry told the group that Amherst is the poorest town in recycling and has the smallest capacity containers. Hollis does the best in recycling. Mr. Bowler explained that the District will be holding a public hearing on their budget on December 7 at the Amherst Town Hall and the hearing is open to the public.
4324 Landfill
Mr. Berry advised of the areas in the budget that went up. Relative to Regional Planning Solid Waste line, this had gone up because of the increase in hazardous waste. He was trying to get a hazardous waste site locally in either Amherst or Milford. There was a brief discussion on demolition material and the cost per pound charged, outside hire used for grinding up brush for compost, diesel being up because they were using the equipment more, credit cards were accepted at the Transfer Station and it costs the Town 3% for the processing of them. Questions were asked about the Transfer Station sign and money received, as well as dump stickers, whether or not people should pay for them and whether or not the Transfer Station gets people who are not residents.
4326 Baboosic Lake Septic
Mr. Berry reported this budget was in and out and 100% offset by revenue.
4522 Parks & Grounds
Mr. Berry explained that wages were for a part time employee, trash barrel covers were purchased at $95.00 apiece and fell under supplies, as did trash bags. Some of the outside hire is for tree care. There is also tree care in the 4312 budget for tree removal along side the roads.
Further DPW Discussions
Mr. Bowler asked to revisit the discussion on the Zipper. Mr. Grella thought it should be a warrant article to pay for the lease expense each year until it was paid off. Mr. Infanti’s opinion would be a one time warrant article and then put into the operating budget. Mr. Dinkel felt it should be put into the operating budget the same as they had done with the Trackless. Mr. Panasiti went along with a one-time warrant article and if accepted by the public then put into the budget as a line item. He felt this was a capital expenditure that should be voted on. The Board debated the matter further with W&M weighing in on the issue. The consensus of the Board was 4 to 1 in favor of leaving it in the budget.
Mr. Panasiti asked how cost effective it would be to have one person collect all the recyclables for six months as a test. Mr. Berry remarked he was “stretched to the limits” with his existing staff. They talked about “tweaking” one Transfer Station employee and this would be a guesstimate and benefits would only have to be given if a part time employee went over 40 hours. Mr. Infanti asked if he would put some numbers together and the Selectmen would look them.
Merrimack Valley Regional Water District Request for Funds
Mr. Bowler advised they had received a letter dated October 25 from Karen White asking for $5000 for this year. Mr. Panasiti indicated that based on what he now knows about the Water District, he would approve a $5000 payment to the organization for what it stands for and what they have for a potential benefit. He would like to know if the other towns have also paid or has the District received any payments from those listed. In response to Mr. Infanti’s question, he indicated the Town had paid $10,000 already.
It was noted by Mr. Bowler, that Nashua was preparing to buy Pennichuck and they would turn it over to the Merrimack Water District. Mr. Infanti indicated they had made a commitment to a group that has volunteered to try and make things work and it took a long time for them to get a budget that the Selectmen asked for. Mr. Dinkel pointed out that the downside was if Pennichuck prevailed, the Town’s contribution of $15,000 “would go down the tubes”, but they were doing it as a risk holder and he supported the money, but not for the reasons stated. Mr. Grella agreed with what had been said and if they haven’t paid the $5000 for the year 2006, they should pay it. Mr. Infanti questioned the time frame of the requested funds being from January 1 to December 31 and because of the way Amherst’s budget runs, he thought the Town may have already paid it. If they had to vote on it that night, Mr. Bowler indicated he would have a hard time. He was not overly impressed with what they had been presented with.
Mr. Infanti began making a motion, but refrained from finishing it. Instead he asked that they do the research first and then vote on it at their next meeting and it was his guess that they should be paying for the year ’07.
Other Business
Mr. Panasiti and Mr. Dinkel had nothing to report. Mr. Grella had attended the Historic District Commission meeting where they talked about having someone available for taking the minutes of their meetings.
Mr. Infanti reported he had not attended the last Planning Board meeting, however, Charlie Tiedemann was to present some revisions to the sign ordinance and after speaking to him, Mr. Tiedemann had made no changes to the use of “temporary signs”. After discussions last summer, he thought this was something the Selectmen wanted to address, but nothing had been changed because Mr. Tiedemann did not think this was a problem and personally did not have a problem with a temporary sign indicating “Open House” and be up for two hours. They had given permission for the Farmers’ Market to put up signs and thought this was the direction they gave him last summer to look at a definition of temporary signs. The Town needed to be realistic and not be a policing agency. Longhorns had temporary signs asking for help and they were all illegal. He thought the message they gave this summer was to look at the sign ordinance. Mr. Bowler thought that once the real estate organization received it they were to make comments on it. He suggested that either he and Gary talk to the Planning Board or Gary talk to Charlie. Mr. Infanti briefly spoke about his walk through the cemeteries and that something needed to be done.
Mr. Bowler reported that the SRLD felt badly that the $85,000 was missed. He personally kept saying they needed to look at the past two years and the District indicated this was the way the auditor said it should be done. All Commissioners feel badly that they have to go back to their respective towns to tell them the money was not appropriated.
Mr. Bowler mentioned the Farmers’ Market was being increased to three days. Mr. Infanti indicated this was a totally different form for them because they began an indoor retail business. Mr. Bowler added that the Selectmen approved it for the summer months and perhaps something they should look into. Mr. Dinkel remarked he would like to support it and this has never been tried before. Mr. MacGuire indicated the sign was for one 30 days and not renewable. Mr. Bowler did not want to appear the Selectmen were giving favoritism to any one business and there was a need to be consistent. Mr. MacGuire was asked to make things clear – he will make the call.
Minutes
Mr. Infanti moved to approve the minutes of November 13, 2006, second by Mr. Dinkel amended as follows: Line 33 – Strike “that”; Line 35 – Change “and” to “as”; Line 44 – Insert “and” after “tank”; Line 112 – Change “rewarded” to “reward”; Line 130 – Change “please” to “pleased”; Line 181 – Change “commented” to “commended”; Line 184 – Insert “He said” before “The Town”; Line 185 – Strike “in the next five years”; Line 188 – Change “In order to begin next year, they have to ask the” to “In order to begin construction next year, the Recreation Commission would have to ask the”; Line 189 – Insert “for a warrant article of” before $250,000; Insert “from the LUCT” after $250,000”; Line 190 – Change “and” to “about”; Line 194 – Change “have” to “half”. Vote: Unanimous.
Mr. Infanti moved to adjourn the meeting at 10:40 p.m., second by Mr. Grella. Vote: Unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Sharon L. Frydlo
Executive Assistant