TranscriptTown Meeting 2015

I'm part of the tax committee. I'm Paul Chef. I live on the drive and uh I am I'm part of the tax committee. good. Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. And um I'm I'm very proud of all of you here. Um I'm very proud of this town. um the residents obviously the involvement that we have our select people budget committees I mean there's a lot of work that goes into this I'm I'm appreciating this for the first time being a state legislator I mean the amount of work that goes into your civic duties and responsibilities is just awesome and um I I'm just I'm happy with

this process and you know in the art of the deal sometimes when both people walk away feeling like they lost something probably the right answer and this is the venue where that happens. But I I just wanted to make my comments for my appreciation for what you all do here and the fact that all of our our fellow residents from Durham are here to support and and delegate and debate what it is that we're trying to do in our town.

Thank you, Representative Chase. Thank you. And I'm sure you'll be here if people want to talk to you. Oh, yeah. Is is there anything that I can do for you folks today? anything that I Oh, a couple hundred million. Yeah, [laughter] I agree with that. Well, I can tell you in its public information, we did deliberate last week on many items of the governor's tax proposal. There is a strong uh resistance to removing of revenue sharing. So, in likelihood, the revenue sharing is going to stay in place. I I do want to point out though from the emphasis of what the legislature is doing, especially from the caucus that I'm on, we are really in we are really

trying to find tax reductions for our citizens, tax savings in their income tax. We want our seniors to be able to stay here and be able to afford their properties and afford where they're they're living and be able to retire here comfortably. And we're looking for new jobs for our youth. And the way for us to do that is we've got to create a business environment. So those are the things that we're focusing on. So as we go forward, even in the tax committee, those are the challenges that we're trying to stick to. Thank you again. Thanks for coming. [applause]

we. About done. We're done. You're done. of 77 to 42. Kevin, to uh talk with one of our school board uh representatives and they pointed out that one of the statements that we had made earlier was uh not quite correct and that the current uh proposed school budget um we had originally said did not include anything for the new high school. It actually does include the first interestonly payment of $250,000 for the high school, which over the course of the loan will save the RSU $1.2 million. So, I just wanted to correct that uh statement that we made earlier.

All right. Thank you, Kevin. town will vote to raise and or appropriate for fire and rescue capital improvement account. The selectman recommend 50,000 by raising that amount. The budget committee recommends 40,000 by raising that amount. I will look for a motion from the budget committee. It's been moved and seconded that we adopt the recommendation of the budget committee under article 60 and raise $40,000 for the fire and rescue capital improvement account. Discussion and comments. Deputy Chief. [clears throat and cough] Again, this is not mine, but I will represent it. Um, you know, we've had the chief as a full-time chief for 12 years, and we give him the authority to run the fire department and and make educated decisions. Um, he's laid out a capital plan. It extends out to 2030 right now. Um, in order to fund that capital account, um, you know, at some point you've got to put more money into

it. Um, we've got equipment that has got to be replaced. Um I based on the chief's plan, $50,000 is the right number [clears throat] to do this year. this was not a unanimous vote by the budget committee. Um however the majority of the budget committee being sensitive to the uh increase uh taxes we

were facing um is how we came up with the number 40,000 which I believe was an increase over a previous year. It had it had been 40,000 at a time it it was then it went down and the budget committee voted to bring it back to 40,000.

discuss Chuck? excellent plan and and just like Keith said, he has this laid out out to like 2030, okay? Telling us which piece of apparatuses we're going to change and and continuing down through. Um it it is a very good estimate and that's how I look at it as an estimate. Okay? There's nothing saying that that the the I believe and Keith you can correct me if I'm wrong, but the quint you just purchased, I believe the chief has us replacing that in 15 years. And yes, he has the dollar amounts laid out over the years that we're going to um utilize. If you look back to the 2012 budget, we put 25,000 into this capital reserve account. In 13, we put 25,000 in it. And

in 14 we upped it to 35,000. Yes, we we've slimmed it a little bit. And when we cut the funds and we don't give the fire department exactly what the $50,000, what that does is the the apparatus that we were supposed to purchase in 2017, we may not be able to

purchase it until 2018. Um, again, it his his layout is extremely detailed and and for for me again I I'm looking at this as I need to be responsible to the fire department or to the town employees, however you want to look at it, okay? Because I need to be responsible to all of them, but at the same point in time, I need to be responsible to the taxpayers of Durham. And for me, I am one of the ones that push for to to go down to the 40,000.

I would love to sit here and and give everybody everything they want. I I believe one of when we first the first meeting we had, one of the selectmen sat there and said, "There's nothing to cut. I don't know why we're there's just nothing to cut. We have nothing in this budget to cut. If we do, we're we're stealing from from advantages to taxpayers. Even still, we still need to be responsible to those taxpayers and try to get some of these funds out of here.

Thank you, Chuck. Jeff, um just speaking on the board of selectmen on this one, um we the numbers Chuck gave are correct. 25,000, 25,000, 35,000, and 40,000 this year. There was an extra amount last year that also besides the 35 that went to approximately 5,000 left over from the operating budget. This year there was I believe $18 left over in the operating budget. So um uh looking looking ahead the board of selectman felt that um going the recommended 50,000 would be prudent in the long run. um the more you more you can put ahead um the you can save interest eventually uh by making a payment early and and things like that. So we felt that the 50,000 was was reasonable. Um

almost every year they he come uh that they come with a number. We typically uh cut it I believe I believe three years ago it was 40,000 and we went to 25 as far as what the request was and um this year we uh actually went along with the request from the chief.

Thank you Jeff. Any other comments or questions? Seeing none, I'm going to call for a vote on the motion on article 16, which is to approve the recommendation of the budget committee and raise $40,000 for the fire and rescue capital improvement account. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed? Motion carries.

town will vote to raise and or appropriate for fire and rescue capital improvement projects. Both the selectment and budget committee recommend that the sum of $3,000 be transferred from the fire capital improvement fund. May I have a motion, please? Been moved and seconded under article 17 that we pass the article as written. Comments or discussion? Yes, sir. I just want to let you know what the chief's request was here. Um we had requested $12,000 from the capital account. Um a to paint the station outside which is in drastic need of um which was about $7,000 and to replace the trim around the doors and uh in the in the bays um I believe was about $3,000 and to do some work on the hood in the kitchen. Um, this $3,000 here, if I'm not mistaken, represents security cameras, Jeff.

And I believe the hood. And the hood. Yes. Okay. So, his original request was $12,000, which is money that's in our capital improvement account. That's all I'm saying. Thank you, Jeff. Yeah. uh to explain the reasons for um

cutting on that one. Um there was some debate this year as to what constitutes a capital project. In the past, we have included painting and things like the trim and so on. And there was a debate among the board and uh it was decided

that that really isn't a uh painting really isn't a capital project and that it should be a maintenance project and that's why the uh num why we put the number where we did. So, with that said, we should have raised our budget by $7,000 and and raise tax money rather than taking that out of capital improvement capital improvements account. Is that what you're saying? Painting needs to go in the the budget, which would be raised.

I believe that's what the board was was suggesting. I just did a paint renovation at my store in Brunswick, which cost me about $8,000. That was a capital account project. I don't understand why a $7,000 paint would not be considered capital improvement.

Okay. I think that's a tax and accounting issue we'll let the selectman in the fire department resolve before next year as to where painting goes. Yes, sir. Eureka Center out of a capital account? I I'm sorry. I didn't I didn't understand.

The floor at the Eureka Center for $1,500 was out of a capital account. [clears throat] You're talking $7,000 in painting is not a capital account. This seems to be an inconsistency there. All right. Thank you. I think we're getting into the nicities of the IRS code and I don't think we want to spend the day

[laughter] trying to figure that one out. But I understand the the issue and the importance to the departments when they're budgeting. They really need to know how the selectment and budget committee are going to view certain items uh for purposes of their their budget presentation. Is there any other discussion or comments on article 17 in the motion before you, which is to transfer $3,000 from the fire capital improvement fund for the fire and rescue capital improvement projects. Seeing none, I'll call for vote on the motion. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed? Motion carries. Article 18. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and or appropriate for the annual loan payment for the fire station payment four of five under a refinancing agreement. Both the selectman and budget committee recommend the sum of $39,510 to be transferred from the fire capital

improvement fund. I have a motion, please. It's been moved and seconded that we pass article 18 as written. Any comments or questions or concerns about that article and the motion before you? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed. The motion carries. Article 19 to see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and or appropriate for the annual bond payment for the Quint ladder truck payment. Payment two of six. Both the selectman and the budget committee recommend that you transfer $33,04 from the fire capital improvement fund. May I have a motion, please? Been moved and seconded under article 19 that we pass the article as written. Comments and discussion. Yes, sir. [clears throat] Um, again, the decision was made to make a $33,000 payment based over a six-year payback. Um, the chief's recommendation was

actually to make uh $40,000 payment this year, which would create three $40,000 payments and then one $31,000 payment in 2018, which actually would save the town $1,400 $1,41759 paying it off early. That was his recommendation. Thank you, Jeff. Um when the uh budget committee was I mean when the select were looking at this uh we chose to go with the actual payment amount um with with the bond that we got the actual amount was $33,04 and the reason being was um the difference between the budget committee and uh selectman's recommendation in article 16 that $10,000 um uh dollars if that where that didn't

uh where that didn't pass and we we were planning that it may not we kept with the lower payment to to keep our uh bottom line in the capital fund um uh more fluid. Um and I believe and I believe I uh selectman Hall um said the same thing I had in my recollection. His original um the chief's original request was the $33,04 and we were in discussing it with the board of selectmen. We had wondered about doing 40,000 and it was

close. No, that we still can't hear you. It's not going to press the button. The chief had recommended the 40,000 if the capital account was funded at the full 50,000 that he recommended. When that was reduced, he then said that we should probably make the $33,000 payment to reflect that offset, that reduction in the amount of funds that were going into the capital projects account. Okay. Thank you. Any other comments or questions about article 19 in the motion before you? Yes, ma'am. You [clears throat] don't have to run.

Can I Can I just ask a a quick question about the quint that we're paying for? How much under budget did that end up coming in from when we had at we had um projected it out? Um chef, do you know or deputy chief? We were

Um we ended up uh with a principal cost of 18323642 as being the actual cost of the Quint. Yeah. Uh plus interest. So So about 16 uh 20 $26,000 less I believe. [clears throat] projecting out over our 10-year plan, we should have that extra money still sitting in the capital

that that yes, that money will will be able to Right. But I'm just justifying in my head that we we really didn't do a disservice at this point because they're asking for 50,000. They still have 26 from from a year ago that is rolling forward. So I feel good about that.

Thank you, Representative Paul Chase, Colonial Drive. Um, so is this a fixed interest rate bond or is there any implications to this bond over the future if uh interest rates go up over the next year? Fixed. Thank you. The answer was fixed. It's at a fixed rate. Yes, ma'am. Get close to the mic now and don't talk quite so fast as you did last night.

Sorry. Uh Michelle Richardson, Patriot Way. My understanding is is we approved them to borrow up to $210,000. They borrowed $186 based on what we were able to get in the market. The difference isn't isn't sitting in an account. We didn't borrow it. It's a bond, right? So, it's just we borrowed less, which over time will save us money, but

yes, it's not like there's money in the capital account. That's why our payments our payments 33,000 instead of 40,000 versus what we thought it was going to be. All right. Thank you. I think you misunderstood what I was saying. I was talking about the rolling capital improvement uh forecast that the chief has where we're constantly putting extra money into it um based on what the projected cost of these items to be replaced would need to be. So, right,

I wasn't talking about actual payments. Gotcha. Okay. Anything else from anyone else on article 17 and I'm sorry, article 19 and the motion before you, which is to transfer $33,04 from the fire capital improvement fund for the annual bond payment for the Quint ladder truck. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed? Motion carries.

Article 20 to see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and or appropriate for general assistance. Both the selection and budget committee recommend that you raise the sum of $5,000. Any comments or questions about that article and a motion, please? It's been moved and seconded that we pass article 20 as written. Any comments on the article and the motion and the amount that's recommended? Yes, ma'am.

general assistance money? Jeff, general assistance is a state required program that we do. Um, it helps um individuals who who don't have income or very little income. I believe it's u needsbased. Um, and um they will come to

our general assistance officer who is our administrator and we'll fill out fill out forms and based on that they may or they may or may not receive funds to help them with things like um rent and what are food food and things like that. Yeah, it's shortterm. It's reimbursed by from the state uh at 50% at this time and it's

something that we have to put in. Um the and we have to pay whether we put in the if if we do more than 5,000 we still have to pay it. All right. Thank you. Any [snorts] other questions? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion before you under article 20, which is to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000 for general assistance. All those in favor of the motion, raise your card. Thank you. All those opposed. Motion carries. Article 21. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and or appropriate for the historical society for the restoration of the Union Church. Both the selectment and budget committee recommend the sum of $0. May I have a motion, please? been moved and seconded under article 21 that you raise and appropriate zero dollars for the historical society for restoration of the Union Church. Jeff,

um it seems funny to put in a Z uh article, but we put that in there in case members of the historic society were able to get some numbers um or uh wanted to put uh um another motion on the floor. um they had to ask for $10,000. Um we still don't have a really good plan of what they want to do and for the past several years we haven't put any money in. So we just put this as a placeholder to allow them the opportunity.

Thank you. And is there anyone here who wants to address that from the historical society? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion before you, which is to I'm sorry. Yes, sir. Uh I'm not technically a member of the historical society. We are in the process of working with a preservation specialist to put together a master plan for the Union Church. We just haven't gotten anything back from them yet. So, we decided to wait before allocating funds to uh to at their request. We decided to wait till next year after we have more information and we have a better plan together.

Thank you. All right. I'll call for a vote on the motion before you under article 21, which is to raise and appropriate $0 for the historical society for the restoration of the Union Church. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed. Motion passes. Article 22 to see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and or appropriate for parks and recreation. Both the selectment and budget committee recommend the sum of $12,977

by transferring that amount from the designated fund balance from state park fees and the recreation fund. May I have a motion please? We moved and seconded under article 22 that we pass the article as written. comments, discussion, questions. Jeff,

um, one of the things that we did increase in this, uh, budget this year was we put in more money um, uh, for the war memorial park over at Southwest Ben. Uh we have had a boy scout come forward um with some ideas of um how to improve that including uh new flag poles because the ones that are there look pretty pretty bad possibility of a path to the gazebo and some other things. So we um put in some money this year for that um project to to help along the way. The Boy Scout will also be doing some fundraising efforts as well to help defay some of the costs.

Thank you. Any other questions or comments on article 22 and the motion before you, which is to uh raise and appropriate the sum of $12,97 by transferring that amount from the designated fund balance for state park from state park for state park fees and recreation fund for parks and recreation. Seeing none, I'll call for vote on the motion. All those in favor of the motion, raise your card. Thank you. All those opposed. Motion carries.

[clears throat] town will vote to raise and or appropriate for the planning board and appeals board. Both the selectman and budget committee recommend the sum of $14,190 by transferring $750 from the designated fund balance from application fees for planning board and appeals board hearings and raising the sum of $13,440. May I have a motion, please? Been moved and seconded under article 23 that we pass the article as written. Jeff.

Um [clears throat] on this uh line, we do have some increases. Um we increased the um salary or we put more money in for the salaries for the planning boards and appeals. They get paid $50 a meeting and the chair gets paid 100 for for the meeting. Um what we we did not know at the time, but there is um there is an active appeal now. So, the appeals board will have to meet. They haven't had to meet for a while. Um, we also added in um $5,000

for ordinance review. It's become very clear to us that our ordinances need some help. Um the thought is to contract with someone um to help us with this review, whether it be something like uh GPCOG, which is uh the Greater Portland Council of Government, offer these services, or to contract with uh an individual that knows uh ordinances and can help us. But um we tried to do this

several years ago with um with AVCOG and got very little results from what we spent and we were very disappointed with what we got. But it it is a a definite need that um to have our ordinance reviewed because they they can conflict sometimes. They're not clear at times and so that's why we're asking for that amount there.

Thank you, John. Any other comments or questions or concerns about article 23 and the motion before you? Yes, ma'am. [clears throat] How come there's a new line for the um planning board secretary? Didn't we always have one?

I don't believe we've passed anything for the planning board, have we? Is it under administrative had been under administration before? Um but not today because we always paid someone. Yeah, I remember there being an argument about the pay. Yeah, I I believe that was under administration and we moved it.

So the administration line should have been lower. Um yes, Jane, the administration came down. They moved a lot of that stuff around secretaries in if you look through you'll see that there's secret in most of the specific pieces and they started doing that last year.

So last year it moved. So how come it didn't show up last year? Not not all of them. They started last year the secretary for uh I'm not going to pull it off the top of my head. Yep. Whatever. For a committee. They they start moving them to the committees to the specific committees and putting funds in those.

Okay. But I just don't see a Yep. I beg your pardon. I do see a up there. Okay. Thanks, Debbie. Depari Hollowell Road. Last year I got done as [clears throat] planning board secretary, [cough] excuse me. And they did do a condensement of the secretaries. Now there's there's no separation.

Okay. Thank you. [snorts] Any other comments or questions about 23 and the motion before you, which is to raise and appropriate the sum of $14,190 for the planning board and board of appeals. Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion. All those in favor of the motion, raise your card. Thank you. All those opposed. Motion passes.

Article 24 to see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and or appropriate for public works. The selectman recommend the sum of1,31,798. of1,27,198. selectman. It's been moved and is there a second on the board of select? It's been moved and seconded by the board of selectmen that we raise and appropriate the sum of $1,31,798

from designated fund balance from the URI and auto excise funds and raising this the amount of 20 $246,484. um I'd like to uh as as part of the information, there was a sheet out back uh lab labeled public works budget versus roads budget with snow plow contract. And what I was what we were trying to do here is show what would what would our budgets would be at if we continued with a snow plow contract assuming that the snowplow contract increased to uh 5% a year which the last couple of years of the contract had actually increased by 6%. And that the roads budget would increase by about 1%. And you can see for 2014 the uh if we were still on the snow plow contract it would have been about 1,293,958.

budgeted last year was 1,180,149. knowing it was our first year and that's one of the reasons why you see a fairly large increase this year on our requested in 2015 if we had extended out the uh winter plow contract we would have been about 1,335,573

budget and this year's budget is about $15,000 and uh repres So that represents maybe about a 12 or 13% in I'm sorry a 1.2 1.3% increase over the last two years in our roads budget. Um [snorts] and so we were just trying to put that out there to show that um where we would have been if we continued on with a plow contract, assuming the plow contract continued to increase at the same rate or a slightly lower rate than it was.

Thank you, Chuck. Before we get into this, I I just want to tip my hat to Sean and his crew because I think they did a excellent job at taking care of the roads this winter with the snow removal and everything for for their first time going out there and um learning the the roads and all the different things. I I just I want to thank you and your crew because I think you did a fabulous job. [applause]

Yes, sir. Uh I just want to bring up um I didn't know it till I become a selectman um that we share our crew with Dwood with Poundroll. Um that means that you're tax dollar laborers going over in Poundroll and working over there along with our equipment, our new equipment. Um me being a new selectman, we're coming up with a new contract with the um with the road commissioner with Poundro and this is going to be coming up. If anybody can email me, give me your thoughts. Um be greatly appreciated. I am not in favor of it. We got a lot of work in Durham and I think the tax got all to stay in Durham and work hard in it.

Thank you. Thank you. Yes, sir. Plumberville Road. Um, so I'm seeing a couple things that I've got questions in the public works budget. I'm seeing other places where fuel accounts are going are being reduced and I'm seeing the fuel account for public works going up considerably. Um, so can somebody educate me on that? Yeah, one of one of the main reasons the fuel count's going up this year is because last year we're based on about a six, sevenmonth uh budget because we didn't start doing until somewhere around May or June.

Okay. And that's the same answer then for equipment maintenance. Yeah, that would be okay. Then my my last question will be so we see what's budgeted for 2015 for winter roads. Um and and actually it goes back to the the labor. Um so the money that the town's getting back as a result of the emergency declaration, where does that money go back to? So, so um public works and and the chief

did all the work to get the to work with the county EMA to get the declar get the figures in for the declaration which was just announced that we and the chief attended a meeting on Monday with FEMA to get the you know the paperwork started for the reimbursement. Right. So, I I'm wondering about who about where that money goes back to when we get it.

I I believe as long as we get it back in the same budget year, we can credit it to the to the to the bud um so the budget lines that were affected. So, uh however much the that they're re reimbursing us for what was affected the fire line would go to the would would

Right. But it's mostly public work. It's it's mostly public works and so and anything that was being credited back due to work by the public works would go to would go to credit that line. Okay. And so for those of you that don't know um the declaration that you might have seen in the news um and then the fact that Andersan and Cumberland and York County is getting some money back from the federal government because of the blizzard. There was a there's a whole convoluted process that goes into collecting all the costs for road salt and labor and all that stuff that happened during that blizzard so that we could get around. Um the the person that everybody wanted to poke sticks at earlier um was the person who did the vast majority of that work to get that package together so that our town so that the public works mostly the public's works budget doesn't get completely blown out of the water um

next year just so you know but probably didn't know before now. So thanks. Thank you. Yes ma'am. of my questions are answered by my first question was how much of a budget did we have? How many months budgeting for last year explains a lot of the increases um and maybe this goes back to what you said earlier um about sharing with panel but I'm interested in the um the reduction in the road commissioner salary by 26% for next year. I know we've had a transition from our existing road commissioner and I think we're in the market for a new one. Um is it just a timing issue that the interimm

it's it's actually a um Durm is uh up to this point Pel has been the employer and Durm has been contracting the services. So that was all in one line. Um with with hiring um the new road commissioner be um it's been decided that Durham will hire the road commissioner and will contract We are splitting it out. Um now there's a road commissioner salary and then um all

the Medicare and health insurance lines will are included in that. Um so it's in more than one line now. Uh we tried to keep keep as close to uh fairly close to last year. There is there is um actually if you add all the lines up where things are included um if down the road commissioner there uh and you see MPs

Medicare that's some of those uh lines in there. Okay. Um so is there income is there somewhere else an offset to income coming in from panel or is this just our portion? This is just our portion. we're we're calculating on a 60% of it and so we'll we'll expend and then offset by the income coming in. So it uh as far as the numbers that you see the that part of it will be offset by the uh pound of money coming in.

Okay. So what last year was 43144 this year is 33300 plus 1378 486 10606 3240. That's the equivalent year-to-year comparison. Basically, the road commissioner benefits plus the salary. Is that right? I believe so. Um I can you get closer to the mic then?

We're still in the hiring. We're still in the hiring process. So So we used historical figures but but those are not set in stone at this time. So actually it is it is a projected increase over last year when you add up all those things.

Yes. And I believe that was the difference between the committee's recommendation and the board of recommendation. That was my next question is what on a million dollar budget you couldn't come to 4,700 bucks. I think that was everything I had. Thank you.

I'm curious to know why we have a contract out for mowing. Shouldn't that be under public works? We have a contract bid out for it. We we're doing a one-year contract um so that we can look at the feasibility. Uh we do not have a mower at this point. We would have to purchase a mower. So, we need to look at uh how fast we uh get a return on investment in a mower. Um so, that's why we're doing the one more year. We don't act our road commissioner resigned. We have just an interim one right now and we're looking to hire one. So rather than make that decision without all the facts, we uh we're we are delaying it one year and that's one of the things we'll be looking at.

Okay. And if the budget last year reflected six months, so you're doubling it, why is our gas price tripling? So, where are you looking at? Um, under public works. Yeah. Where it says fuel account, we spent $24,000 last year. We're now asking for

70,000 in theory because we have six more months to be on the roads. I'm just kind of curious to know where they're driving. Um last year, as we said, uh the roads were uh the the trucks were only on the roads from about May. Only had um two winter months during that time. Um we were looking at our fuel consumption when we calculated this. We were looking at our fuel consumption of of some of our big winter months this year. And that's uh I believe we went with uh 4 1/2 months of winter and uh 7 1/2 months of summer in our calculations.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, sir. [clears throat] Charlie Sherburn, why is your road and I noticed that under winter roads we're buying less sand and considerably more salt. And my concern is that when you put salt on the ground, you inevitably wind up drinking it from your well. So, I'd like to know what the uh consideration is other than the fact that salt works well in the winter.

The reality is on that particular line is again we were working off a eight-month budget last year and when we budgeted for our salt we only planned on the earlier part of the season and basically ultimately we're using less salt than we have historically. I don't think I answered your question though.

Yeah. Yeah. We [clears throat] are using less than historically. Yes. Yes. Thank you, Chuck. Um, your your question about what the the $4,000 difference was for for the most part by my notes. Okay. Um, we we are different in the U utilities, electricity and heat. Um, we felt we took some funds out of that. Um and also on facilities maintenance, we we took funds out of that and we took some funds

out of safety equipment and we also took some funds out of uniforms. Now what every what everyone needs to understand is as we go down through this unless it is salaries and benefits we can make recommendations on specific lines that that they want to spend on. Okay. We can make recommendations whether they spend it on that it does not matter. We we are approving an overall budget and if we approve the budget for for $30,000 and and they want

to spend $15,000 on this can do that. You know, this is just a it's just a line item here and all we're doing is voting on the overall budget with the exception of salaries and benefits. Thank you, Chuck. Yes, ma'am. [clears throat] I see under the um the benefits and I know that they're newly lined out this year apparently the main PERS but then I when I go back and I look at um the administrative expenses the main line went up 2600 um well FICA and main PERS and so did it also on the fire department um line. So

did I miss something? Are we paying main pers to people that weren't previously getting it or So for many years longer than we really know uh it's been at least a decade probably more than two maybe more than two decades we have had a credit at the

main pers and our credit ran out last year so we had to start paying last year and this is our first full year of paying the main pers amount okay which is the retirement system. Thank you. Thank you, Chil. about um $4,600 is all we could find.

And just to speak on uh tax breakdown, um at one time we had looked at reductions of 13,100. Um but I couldn't get a vote uh passed amongst the budget committee. Uh there was quite a bit of discussion um as to what were appropriate cuts and what weren't. Um the we were able to get a 5 to4 vote for the $3600 reduction. Um at least half of that came out of the um heat and electricity line uh based on prices being considerably lower than what we were anticipating and and anticipating that even though they may go up, they won't go up to um what they were a year ago. So 4,600 was the best we could do with our discussion. There we there are areas to cut. Um but uh your budget committee felt this was the um the most favored way.

budget this year was uh a bit like trying to nail jello- to the wall. Uh quite frankly, it was um keep in mind that we're trying to establish a base year here. There's a lot of moving parts. You know, we have a partial budget because we so we still have part of the old plowing contract in here. We also have things moving from the administrative article into the public works article. So, the budget that we're doing right now is is really the year one base fully in place 12-month public works budget. So I think when we get to next year's cycle when we actually have really good solid ex what we actually spent over 12 months um and what we can expect to spend on the next 12 months and compare the two I think we'll probably be able to you know go through it with a little bit finer uh tooth comb.

Thank you Mark. Uh I'd like to comment on the on the sharing of the road commissioner and and services. Uh we uh it does appear to be that uh sharing the road commissioner is a cost savings. I'm not so sure that we could hire a full-time road commissioner in Durham for what we're paying our percentage for. And um when it comes to sharing other amenities, uh Panel has a a machine for crack sealing. We don't have a machine. So we can go out and rent one and buy the crack seal or we can use theirs. We buy the crack seal, put the two crews together, and they seem to be able to do a good job and get it done. Um this last year they tried uh uh putting up the sand and salt together and they cut the time I can't remember exactly but it was almost in half I think by both towns getting together and putting up all the sand at the same time. I think that's probably the only time that I can remember uh that our

equipment over went over there other than their excavator was broke down once ours was available in case they needed it so that they wouldn't have to go one. So there is a lot of share cost sharings involved with the two towns. And if you look around at some of these smaller towns like ours, I think you're going to find that they're all looking at doing some of the same thing because they can't all afford to go out and buy a grater. We don't have one and we don't need a $300,000 grater for six or seven miles of road. So we use panels with their operator. Their operator and their graater comes over. They pay for it. And at the end of the year, actually three times a year, we sit down with a panel slip, go over the budget, see where we are. Sometimes that budget has been the last couple that I've seen within $400, $500 of what little bit we've swapped forth. So there is a cost of savings in

sharing. I think that we should keep. Thank you, Mark. Yes, ma'am. Wendy Stewart, Hollowell Road. I'm a little confused. So if our men go to panel and work, how is that time accounted for? Yeah, we keep track of all um labor hours and equipment hours that are are

swapped back and forth and we keep a spreadsheet and it show basically shows a final balance as far as um did Pel use more, did did Durham use more? And at the end of each fiscal uh year for we we're if if there's much of a gap we make uh one town or the other will send difference um as as a check.

Okay. Um but we do keep track of it. The only thing we haven't figured out yet if someone gets hurt over there, one of our guys get hurt over in pound roll, heavens forbid, hits a chainsaw across the leg or something, uh who's going to pay for his workman's comp? Who's going to pay for him being out? who's going to play for his replacement if he got hurt over in pound roll when he worked for Darm. Uh that that hasn't been worked out yet. We're still in a we're still we're still in the middle of this. That's why it's so important if someone can if you guys have a comment on this us email cuz we're right in the mix uh of getting into this with this new role commissioner and uh ironing all out.

Thank you. Any other comments, concerns, or discussion on article 24 in the motion before you, which is to follow the recommendation of the selectman and raise and appropriate the sum of $1,31,798 Yes, sir. [laughter] I'd love to hear what the plans are for paving. Speaking of the roads and everything else, it looks like there's u an investment in paving for uh $225,000

this the year. Uh what is the project's planned? Um Jeff, the the the plan was I believe for a portion of Quaker Meeting House Road and um actually yeah, [snorts] not my responsibility um for the plan, but what I had planned on this year for paving was to do a heavy shimon overlay on the remainder of Meeting House Road from Route 136 into the pavement change by uh Old Brunswick Road. It's not the ultimate treatment for that road. Um it's really too far gone for Shimon overlay, but we're in such a state of disrepair with all of our roads in town that we have to do something. So, I chose that road as a heavier traveled route to go in and do a shimment overlay.

And uh we do not have any major road reconstructions included in this. Um those would probably because of the cost would have to come to you as a bond issue. Um I I think we're you're talking somewhere between 700 and a million dollars a mile. 700,000 to a million.

Yeah. depending um on what we found with base conditions, but you're going to be between five and 700,000 a mile. Okay. Five five and 7 give or take. Yeah. About 100 about $100 a linear foot for a reconstruction. And we have so we have so many roads that are at that rate at that dis state of disrepair. We're trying we're still trying to get our heads around around how we're going to do this because um it's got to be a bond, but it's it's it's going to hit hit the taxes. There's no way that it can't get to taxes if we try to repair these. And so we're still trying to figure out how we're going to do it.

Thank you, J. Yes, sir. [clears throat] roads, etc. I don't know if this is state responsibility or the town responsibility, but over the years people have been talking about the sha curve that dumps into the swamp road from Newbrook Road. Uh has the town looked at that all planning to at all? We we a state responsibility and we have sent um in the past I don't know that we've sent anything super but we've sent uh requests for them to look at it. They've looked at it um haven't been able to come up they haven't come up with anything or haven't been willing to spend any money on it anyway up to this point but [snorts] it is a state responsibility because of Route 9 being the major road there.

Thank you. Thank you. Are you ready for the question? I think so. But if there are other comments or concerns, bring them forward. Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion before you under article 24, which is to raise and appropriate 1,31,798

the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. Those opposed? Motion carries. Article 25. I will note that 25, 26, and 27 all deal with the proposed public works capital reserve fund, but we're going to take article we're going to take them up separately because article 25 will determine whether we need to take action on articles 26 and 27 or not. Article 25 to see if the town will vote to create a public works capital reserve fund. Have a motion. It's been moved and seconded under article 25 that the town vote to create a public works capital reserve fund. Jeeoff,

so uh we are asking to create this looking to the future uh road repair or road reconstruction uh equipment for public works. Um, we'd like to start setting some money aside to help um, just like with the fire department, help even out the the tax burden so you don't see spikes uh, as high as spikes um, from these budgets. So, that's why we're asking to create this account.

Any other comments or questions? article 26 and the motion before you, which is to create a public works capital reserve fund. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed. Motion passes.

Article 26 to see if the town will vote to automatically transfer all unexpended public works operating funds as of year end into the public works capital reserve fund. May I have a motion please? Been moved and seconded under article 26 that we pass the article as written. Comments and discussion Jeff.

Um this is um similar to the way the fire department budget works at this point. If there um are monies left over in the fire department operating budget, they get transferred to the fire department uh capital reserve fund. And um this was uh something that was requested and um is being recommended by both boards that we do the same thing with the public works lines.

Kevin, um this [clears throat] was a a good point of discussion in our meetings. Um, I wholeheartedly support a uh public reserve fund for public works, but I don't support having uh operational fund balances automatically transferred into uh that uh department's capital reserve. I I think that that discretion should remain with the board of selectment every year because quite frankly, you never know uh what's going to happen. The example we were using was um there's

at some point there's probably going to need to be a roof uh upgrade or u update to the town hall. And so if we if there's let's say there's 10 or $20,000 uh left over and operating from public works that uh we've said has to go in the public works uh capital improvement fund. then that money is not available to maybe fix a roof in particular year if we need to. So, uh while I support uh regular contributions to the public works uh capital reserve fund, um I don't think we should make it an automatic thing uh that it happens that way.

Thank you, Kevin. Any other discussion or comments on article 26 and the motion before you, which is to automatically transfer all unexpended public works operating funds as of year end into the public works capital reserve fund. Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. All those opposed. Motion fails.

[laughter] And there's there are six others other than Mr. Simon who want to uh see how that vote went. And there are six other people that are cons that question the count. There's two, three, four, five, six. All right. We'll uh we'll do a standing count on article 26 in the motion before you, which is to automatically transfer all unexpended public works operating funds as of year end into the public works capital reserve fund. All those in favor of the motion, stand and please remain standing until counted. Where'd my other counter go? Okay.

[snorts] What did you get? And even if you're a little off, to the moderator that he needs to get his glasses checked. However, the vote was 43 to 40. I'm going to call for a written ballot on it people are not comfortable with the standing vote and so I want everyone to vote and then we'll get an accurate count. Not I'm not I'm not trying to one up Milt Simon. [laughter]

funnel around. It shouldn't take too long. Annual bond payment for the public works equipment bond payment one of 10. Both the selectman and budget committee recommend that we raise the sum of $141,524. May I have a motion, please? It's been moved and seconded under article 28 that we pass the article as written. Comments, concerns, or discussion? Yes, ma'am.

Way. Um, similar to her question earlier about the Quint that we bought, um, I'm curious what the actual equipment costs ended up being versus what we had approved at prior um, town meetings. If that's something anybody knows, they can get back to me.

that? As I understood, you wanted to know the difference between what was uh approved and what was actually spent for equipment. All right. We do not have an answer to that. We'll try to come up with it and if we do it was approved.

If we do, we will announce it when we get it. Any other questions or concerns about article 28 in the motion before you to approate 141,524 bond? we're just paying a bill. Correct. Okay. Thanks. [laughter] none, I'll call for a vote on the motion. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed. Article 29. See what sum money the town will vote to raise and or appropriate for the annual bond payment for the public works building bond payment one of 10. Both the selectment and budget committee recommend that we raise and appropriate the sum of $91,120. May I have a motion, please? Been moved and seconded under article 29 that we pass the article as written. Any questions, discussion, or concerns? Jeff.

Um, speaking back to the other, uh, the other question, we, uh, were approved 1.413 million and we spent 1.150 million. So, uh, approximately two $250,000 less. That was to address the lady's question about the difference between equipment purchases and how much was

in that. We actually purchased an one more piece of equipment than we had originally uh put out for. All right. So, that that was the comment on article 28. Any comments or concerns about article 29 and the motion before you, which is to raise an appropriate 91,120 for the first of 10 payments on the public works building bond. Seeing none, I'll call for a vote. All those in favor of the motion, raise your card. Thank you. All those opposed? Motion carries.

Article 30. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise and or appropriate for solid waste. The select and budget committee recommended that we raise and appropriate $191,825 from the designated fund balance from the solid waste tag fees and raising $177,517.

and seconded under article 30 that we pass the article as written. Comments and discussions about article 30 and that motion. Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion. All those in favor, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed. Motion carries. Are we done with the count?

26 which in the motion before you which was to automatically transfer all unexpended public works operating funds as of year end into the public works capital reserve fund. That motion passes 51 to 41. [laughter] promised to get my glasses fixed before before next year and and bring my hearing aids. Yeah.

to appropriate all excess public works roads operating budget funds from the calendar year 2014 and transfer these funds to the newly created public works capital reserve fund. May I have a motion, please? I'm sorry. Both the selectman and re and budget committee recommend that the 94 thou $ 96,466

budget be transferred from undesated fund balance to the newly created public works capital reserve fund. May I have a motion for Thank you. It's been moved and seconded that we pass article 27 as written. Any discussion or comments? Yes, ma'am. Are you guys positive you didn't assign it somewhere else already though?

Yes. Okay. This is actually the only recommendation other than the uh two supplemental articles uh at the beginning that we took any money out of the undesated fund because we are still trying to build that back up. Any other comments or concerns about article 27 in the motion before you? Seeing [snorts] none, I'll call for a vote on the motion. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed, the motion carries.

town will vote to raise and appropriate for telecommunications. Both the selectment and budget committee recommend that you raise and appropriate the sum of $28,659 designated fund balance created by franchise fees. May I have a motion, please? Been moved and seconded that we pass article 31 as written. Any comments or discussions, concerns? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed. Motion carries.

Article 32, which under state law also requires a written ballot to see if the town will vote to increase the maximum property tax levy limit established by state law in the event that the municipal budget approved at this town meeting results in a tax commitment in excess of the maximum property tax levy otherwise allowable. May I have a motion, please? It's been moved and seconded that we pass article 32 as written and authorize an increase in the maximum property tax levy limit established by state law in the event that the municipal budget results in a tax commitment in excess of that amount. Any comments or concerns, discussion? Yes, sir.

I have a question. Uh, is this strictly uh the town of Durham budget or does this include the IRSU budget with the town of Durham? have an answer to at this point. Um and levies needs to be considered in addition to the levy for the municipal

it the the wording of the article actually says in the event the municipal budget approved at this town meeting results in a tax commitment in excess of the max. So it sounds like it would not include RSU5 because those amounts are not in this budget. This this just applies to these articles that are before us today.

Okay. Budget for the RSU Senate, those budget meetings and the referendum. Any other comments, Terry? Uh what happens if we vote this down? If I believe if we vote this down, we um if our tax levy exceeds the maximum, we

will only be able to levy up to the maximum. So, we wouldn't be able to uh we wouldn't be able to fund everything that was voted at this meeting basically. I I I have no idea what the limit is. So, [snorts] don't know what the limit is? I didn't even know there was a tax law like this on the statute. This is Yeah, this is one of those annual items that are in the uh annual articles and I I do not

know what the actual uh maximum is. So, why why is it on the warrant? Why why is this on the warrant? It it's state law. It has to be on the warrant. We have to uh we have to have this on there or we would be limited. um

if what was voted on the town floor exceeded that whatever that limit was, we couldn't levy any any higher taxes. But we don't know what that limit is. I I do not. So just generally speaking, if you've lived a while and paid taxes for a while, you will know there is an insatiable appetite for more of our money in government. I don't know what this limit is, but I'm in favor of it. I suspect it's probably so high it's irrelevant in this case. But it would be nice to know and I I would be in favor of keeping whatever limit we have in place.

It's It's not high. It's not a high limit. That That's why this is in here. We We cross that barrier every year. And I I I'm not going to say I want to say it's around 3%. It's not high at all. We And again, for ever since this has been in every year, we cross that limit with our taxes. I think you could get the actual data from main municipal association, but my last look at that was that it was almost every community in the state um exceeds the limit that's established by the state legislature.

So, they have the authority to do that. I wasn't here last year. This was this was on last year's warrant. I don't remember it the year before. It was it it was on in slightly different wording and and and it passed last year.

It passed last year. It's passed every year since I've been on the board of selectmen. Well, I'm uh citizens of the Durham, I would just encourage you not to to vote in favor of this. There is no way we should be giving them more money than we absolutely have to. Be nice to get some more detail on what this is all about. And I guess that's my responsibility. I'll do so.

stay within the state limit [music] and as we leave today we don't know what the state limit is or what the town limit is going to be and finds out that the town limit is above the state limit. Does that mean we got to call another town meeting to redo the budget?

I would say I would say there would be very little other recourse because they would have to make such substantial changes among the different department allocations that I I believe they would certainly have to go back to the people to make those decisions.

And did someone say that uh as far as they know every year we have voted for this and every year we've been above the state limit? Is that right? That's correct. Okay. Thank you. Prov from Pingenbrook Road. I can understand wanting to put a cap on the budget by the state. Okay. And I can understand the town's position on if we go over that cap, but we can't sit here and tell them, okay, we're going to go over the state cap, you can do what we want. If you're going to do something like that, we need to put in here a cap that the town can go to because I don't want I don't know about anybody else here, but I don't want my taxes jumping another 62%. Like my property taxes did over the last two years.

$1,800 in two years. When you do the math, that's 62% in two years. Now, I don't know about anybody else's property taxes, and I don't know about anybody else in this community, but that we need to set a cap on what they can do for as far as the property taxes go.

Um, B really your cap is what you vote on on each line. You you vote each line in. And if you're going to do a cap, you figure you vote something less. Yeah, I think you know the cap that we're setting is is what we're voting on today. I mean, you want to control the spending. That's what we've done today by voting up and down all of these articles. So, um really this seems like

almost a moot point at this point. you know, we either approved this or we should have I I would suggest to the budget committee or the selectman going forward we know what that number is so we actually can make an informed vote because it's hard to say. I mean maybe it's we blow it out of the water every year and we should know that that you know it maybe this should be the first thing we vote on before we vote on everything else because it's kind of a waste of time if we're not going to approve it at this point. Right.

Okay. Also, I just looked at the state statute. It's not a set percentage like 5% or or 6%. It's a calculation where you take the previous year's growth limit or previous year's levy limit. You add one, you factor in the the state determined growth limits based on your state valuations. It it's a moving target rather than just a specific uh percentage. And I'm guessing, you know, similar to the way the state works on other things, we don't actually know that number yet, right? I mean, have they calculated? They probably haven't even calculated it yet. So, I mean, I think while it would be good to know what the number or at least have a sense to your point, do we blow it out of the water every year? Okay. Well, we should know that ahead of time before we're and I would my political comment on this is it seems sort of interesting that the state wants to put tax levy limits on yet start you know

cost sharing down to the municipal level. It really doesn't jive for consistency but that's the state. Thank you Charlie [clears throat] Charlie Rabbit Road. I'd rather vote vote on this in a yes manner now when we have according to the last vote 90 plus people than have to come back to another town meeting when we would have even less than that.

Thank you Kevin. Um I I agree with people when they say they want to understand this this limit better. Um this question was on the warrant last year. it was it was number 24 and it passed 59 uh to 12. Um it's somewhat of

a formality I think but that doesn't mean we shouldn't understand it better in years uh going out um to see if we really do approach it. Um there someone asked about the schools and there's a when we vote on the school budget in June you'll notice that it's not just one question there's at least two questions there and one of those questions is very similar to this which allows you to go over whatever a state um percentage increase limit is. So, that's where the school portion of this gets taken care of. And I did have a question, Ruth. I mean, Ruth has uh put together some um estimated tax rate calculation forms. Maybe that's where you were going to go. And one of the lines on there is maximum tax rate and you give a minimum and a maximum and maybe you could explain that how those figures are calculated. And if the maximum tax rate that's on the overview sheet, which I don't believe is part of the town report, I think it's

something that just the budget committee has in the board. Is that the same number we're talking about? Yeah. On those tax sheets, the minimum tax is the basically the minimum amount that you can tax and pay for what was approved at town meeting. The maximum amount is plus 5% of that

for the overlay. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions, concerns, comments on article 32 and the motion before you, which is to pass the article as written? Seeing none, I'll call for vote on the motion. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards.

Oh, thank you. It does say right here, written ballot. Let's do a written ballot. I was just trying to move a little historic district ordinance to add to the historic district commission membership to associate members. The ordinance will now read, "The commission shall consist of five members as well as two associate members. May I have a motion, please?" It's been moved and seconded that we pass the proposed amendment to the historic district commission ordinance. Any comments or discussion? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed? Motion carries.

Article 34 to see if the town will vote to accept as a town way Sand Hill Drive phase 2 as associated with the subdivision plan of Sylvester Woods. May I have a motion, please? Been moved and seconded that we accept article 34 as written and accept as a townway Sand Hill Drive phase 2. Questions or comments? Yes, sir.

member of the LLC for the development of this road. Can you get a little closer to the mic or move it up a little? There you go. Get closer though. Uh I just want to point out as a matter of reference that the the road falls within the growth district um and uh it's gone through the stringent process which had to be revisited because there wasn't many people who understood what the history was on on building uh a road in Durham. So, uh, went through quite a bit of extra testing this time around and I was told by the road commissioner that it's some of this testing is actually more stringent than the main department of transportation requirements. Um, just wanted to point out too, you know, obviously accepting a road is accepting the the fact that maintenance must be done on it. Um, prior to development, that parcel of property was uh about four years ago, I think we were paying around $1,000 in

taxes. That's increased quite a bit since we've made the development. Over the past 3 years, over $20,000 of taxes have already been paid on undeveloped property. So, uh, there's already one house in there. Uh, second one is being built at this time. Uh, there's 13 total lots in there that will be serviced by the road. Um um I asked asked Sean if he could give me an idea of what the cost is on a yearly basis and he he really said he couldn't um other other than make a statement that the the uh expected maintenance on this road over the next 10 years or more would be minimal and only be uh plowing. Uh as time goes on, roads will need some sort of a u repairs as they always do. So, I just wanted to make sure that uh we all understood uh where the road is and uh how it impacts the people in that area. And it's also an extension of uh Sand Hill Drive has already uh the first phase has already

been built. This is the extension and final phase of of the subdivision. Thank you. Yes, sir. advocate that we vote this down a road uh according to my understanding it cost uh $3,500 a mile just for snow removal and winter maintenance. Then there's the regular maintenance and yeah, for the next 10 years maybe there's not a lot of maintenance on this road. So if the bill was to adopt it for 10 years, I'd say yeah, sure. But we're we're taking this forever. We just told our longtime fire chief for $1,600 a year, if you don't like it, pack your bags. And now we want to take a a road that's going to serve 13 families and cost us around $2,000 a

year for the foreseeable future. Um, I just don't understand why the town would want to take that kind of debt. Uh, we're running a business here, like it or not, and when you run a business, you have to do costbenefit analysis. And the costbenefit analysis says for the residents of this town, you're going to spend $2,000 a year. That's the cost. And the benefit is 13 residents get their road taken care of. I don't think that's a good investment. I don't know too many business people that would feel that way.

Thank you. Yes, ma'am. [clears throat] I disagree. I think it's a good investment. I think when we're trying to We've approved the development, which means we want these houses. We want these families coming into town um to increase the tax base to share all of these expenses over and having a town road is a benefit when you're buying a house. Um not having to deal with, you know, coming up with your own plowing contract for your amongst your 12 13 people. I'll tell you, I live in a subdivision with 12 houses on it [snorts] and um it's a it's a nightmare just getting the tax, you know, the hundred and something dollars of the tax money for the common land every year. I can't imagine trying to deal with, you know, maintenance on the roads, major maintenance on the road down the road or plowing or those things. I think it's benefit to the value of these houses and bringing in solid families to add this

to the infrastructure of the town. I do have a question though because I was under the understanding and maybe it's the ordinance has changed but had to have a certain number of the houses built before they could be considered for town road. Is it is it because it's an extension or

cuz I know the answer to that is there a minimum number of houses required on a road before it can be approved by the committee and then presented to the town for final approval. I I don't I don't know if there's a minimum for that. I think at one time there was a minimum number for a school bus or fire truck or something like that. I'm not so sure that it was for for that. My [clears throat] only question or concern would be on this. I know in past years when we've had developments, uh the town has said you need to build the road at this kind of a spec and if it meets all this stuff, we'll accept it. I don't know if that was said in this time or not. I I don't really want to see the town getting into the business of accepting roads out there. I think longterm they are going to cost us a lot more money then probably we'll give for taxes but if this was part of that extension and at one point was said if you do it the way

we tell you to we'll accept it and that has to be taken into consideration I don't that's a fact or not particularly since an extension of an existing because the first phase is a town road correct but there may have been enough time lapsed

right that that may qualify at this point okay Jeff um I do not I'm not aware of any number of houses limits on a on accepting a road. This road is up for acceptance right now because they met the criteria of or our ordinance which is number one it be in the uh southwest Ben growth district which it is and number two that the road that was built meet a certain uh spec which has it was

um the the road committee in town met and has approved that they meet the qual the specifications and uh at that point we put it on to for a town vote and and it's up to the town whether to accept it or not. I think it I think it makes sense. I think it adds um overall to the value of those lots and it helps the town overall over time. I think particularly if they've built it to such a high standard.

Thank you. Yes, sir. Hill Drive. Um this one uh affects me of course. Um, but I think that uh uh it would be uh important to make it a town road like the first part of it is because um as was just stated uh the homeowners that might want to purchase there would uh be I think they'd be swayed if it wasn't going to be a town road. I know for me it was a decision and um there will be a lot more revenue from taxes when they come in and build a house. They get tax money for that. So, um hopefully it would offset the cost and the the road um as has been

said does meet a high standard. So, I think it's uh I think it's a good thing to do. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? um speaking as a private citizen, not necessarily because budget committee doesn't talk about this type of thing, but I I do think that the the road built uh in good faith based upon the standards that the town put out there um with the understanding that this is what you need to do to be uh accepted as a town road. And I also think, you know, someone brought up the business analogy. Um, it's certainly not good business to do things that would make not make would make people not want to move to your town or build a development on your town because, you know, you might do everything the town asks you to do and then they still won't approve your road. So, I think there's been a good faith uh effort here uh on on the on the part of the developer and that the tax revenue to come in from the houses that would be

built uh in this development would far exceed the cost of of plowing that road. Thank you. Any other further comments, discussion? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion before you, which is to accept as a townway, Sand Hill Drive phase 2 as associated with the subdivision plan of Sylvester Woods. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed? Motion carries. Do we have a result?

authorize the selectman to explore other means of voting in the town budget. May I have a motion, please? It's been moved by Mr. Wakeakeman. Is there a second? It's moved and seconded that we pass article 35 as written. Jeff.

Um, this this article is in the warrant this year because the board of selectman received a petition. Um, the petition had enough signatures on it. Uh, it met the 10% of the last gubanatorial election. Um however it was rather vague and um we we were not able to come up with a uh an article to

actually enact anything at this point. So instead we put an article on here to authorize the selectment to explore other towns ways of voting. The petition was asking us to after we had town meeting about between 30 and 45 days after you have a a referendum election on on the articles as well and um so that's why we put this on here and you're um this is one of the uh one of the ones involved with the petition.

I circulated the petition. Why don't you tell us who you are? Donna uh Church from the old Brunswick Road. Okay. I circulated the petition and it was vague um to leave some room for working on it. What I didn't realize is it weren't supposed to be that vague. Um at this time, I'd like to take no action on article 35 whatsoever. And because

what the people signed is definitely not the interpretation of article 35. So, um at this point, I'm asking the town to take no action on article 35. or vote vote against the motion. Yes. Yeah. I think I think what she was what we're trying to way I take them on that was that the people that are not here today it either has to work or we got a slug is actually his wife is sick today and can't make it here today and would like to have a chance to be able to vote on everything that's on that we're voting on today and we got 119 people here voting for what 3,000 or so of us. So we're trying to make it so open it up for everybody to have a chance to vote on what what we're voting for the town and for where the money's going. I feel that's what what is trying to do and I I encourage it. We got to do something to try to get more people to get more input on how we spend our money.

Chuck, it's one day a year. It's the same day every year. Um just like last night, we had 171 people out of 3,000. Again, I mean, you see the same faces here every day. every year. Don is here every year. Bob, Terry, it's Mr. Small

over there. It's It's the same faces every year. Uh, everyone, it's not your right to vote. It's your obligation to vote. And and you should take the time to go vote. It's the same way with with meeting. In my opinion, if I'm looking out over this audience, what I'm seeing is is I'm seeing about 100 people that care about what happens to their taxes and what happens to their town. The rest of the people and because I I I know that another 3,100 people, in my opinion, have found something better to do on a Saturday morning. And we have no way of of debating or or

changing numbers if we're not all sitting here together. If if somebody wants to sit there and say that they want to have a private vote on every one of these articles, I I'm fine with that. But to sit here and not have the discussions with everybody present and every everybody seeing it and hearing everyone's opinions and just taking this book and and and going to a voting booth and vote on it. I I don't think you can educate people

Donna Church on some of it I agree with. But you can say that all you want. It's going to be the same people, same time, same place. Things are not going to change unless we change it. And that's what this is all about. We have to change the way we're doing things. Um, and I'm not saying you take a book and not get educated first. You come here first, you do get educated. And hopefully the ones that are here that are educated will pass the information along to others and encourage more to come at least to a voting booth. There are instances when last year I was in and out of here a lot and I didn't get to vote because there was all kinds of things that happened. I've had people give me their phone numbers and say, "I got to leave. I'm sorry. I can't be here any longer. I had another one just run out cuz her kid was sick. There people actually have legitimate excuses and every single vote, especially when it's this small

counts. It has to. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. And then and then agree with Donna. My big issue is I don't feel that everyone has the right to know what I vote. I think it's personal. I don't think I should have to raise my hand and worry that others see how I feel or what I think. And I hope

that we can do something different. Thank you. Thank you. The I disagree with Donna on one thing. She wants to vote this article down and start over again or whatever. All right. I feel that and I always have felt that it costs nothing to put something on the floor and have a discussion. All right. If you approve this, you're not approving anything other than the fact of the selectman finally getting a committee together or whatever and coming up with auctions. It costs nothing, but you get ideas on how things could be made better or more participation. But if you wrote it down, then you're back to where you were. And Donna has to start all over again. And I applaud Donna for trying to do this because I do know that she did bring it to the selectman or a selectman and they would not put it on here without the petition. I think that's totally wrong, too. But it cost nothing. Have a committee and discuss these

ideas. All right. If they don't fly, they don't fly. But what has it cost anybody? Nothing. Thank you, Cherry. Yes, Donna. Donna Church. The only reason why I'm suggesting to vote it down right now is I am looking at forming my own committee to do it. I don't want them choosing a committee because sometimes I think I want to do it my own way with my own people and work it out differently. I've got a bunch of excuses, but I'm not going to say it because it just But anyway, it's not like I'm going to throw this baby out with a bathwater. I'm going to try to start over again. And I don't want them forming a committee where I honestly have a real good grip on this. I got a real good idea and putting it on paper didn't work well, but I can do it this time. So, that's why I was saying to vote it down.

Okay. Donna, thank you. Mark, did you want to Well, probably a moo point at this point. I was just going to comment and actually I've talked with Donner about this at the store a couple times. Maybe actually she talked to me about it. I'm not sure how it went, but uh one of my comments to Donna was those 200 and something people that signed this petition. I'm not I don't see him. That was one of my concerns. That's one of my concerns about that information. And yeah, the people that get the information here can take it home and tell the neighbors. If you're looking at one side of that information, that's what you're going to tell your neighbor. That's the way it works. It ain't no different than we had RSU school committees. One wanted to get out, one didn't. The guys that want to get out that are pushing for that, I'm going to tell you what want you to hear. And the opposite side is going to do the

same thing. That's why come to the town meeting, you hear it all. Yes, ma'am. I I agree with Mark because I think um people's bias will certainly direct them in what they tell other folks and I think um one of the potential issues with forming sort of your own group to study it is I think it may lack um credibility when you know it's all people from one side whereas um I hope we had some sort of sense of of unbias when you have a committee that has both sides represent ed and try to come to a consensus. Um, I think you're right. The only thing it costs is time, people's time. If people are willing to volunteer and look, see if there's other ways to do this that might be better. I don't think anybody says that, you know, if you came up with a great idea, we wouldn't at least consider it. So, the idea of at least starting the conversation, it's not a bad idea.

Thank you, Kevin. Uh, I would agree with what Michelle had to say. I think I think we're much better served if the selectment appoint uh a committee where they can uh solicit input from people that come at it from different points of view um and then uh bring an objective viewpoint uh to the town floor uh so that we don't have just one group of people's solution as they see it that they want to bring to the town floor. Now, there's nothing to stop that group from still forming their committee and circulating a petition and trying to put that on uh on the warrant next year. There's nothing to stop them from that at all. But I think the separate question is what role would we want our elected selectman to have in the process? And and uh I think uh that we shouldn't just leave it to a small special interest group.

Thank you, Kevin. [clears throat] committee or you ask for a committee that you invite Donna and whoever she would like to join her? Absolutely. That would be awesome. We would be putting it out in the out in the open asking for people to be on the committee. Um and with the interest that she has, I think we'd send a a particular invitation to her to uh

uh apply to the committee. I I think my biggest fear of changing things. I like the idea of changing. Um my concern is bottom line because if if if it's set up in a manner that people are voting for or against something and it fails after we went through all of this, then it costs the town more money to bring it back together. Um, however, if they gave them options A, B, and C, like Donna might be suggesting that, you know, they have to choose something and then we could get more opinions because I I think I really don't care what people think when I vote because I'm voting in my opinion, but I know a lot of people are not as comfortable with that and they may be swayed to vote a certain way because they're afraid their neighbor may think less of them or something. I I don't know. But I I think it's a good idea to explore those options and I would hope Donna would want to be on that committee.

Thank you. Are we ready for the question? The question before you is to see if the town will authorize the selectman to explore other means of voting in the town budget. All those in favor of the motion, raise your cards. All those opposed. Motion carries.

Now, before we do our litany of mandatory or not so mandatory, but mundane articles, I'd just like everyone to join with me and applaud our elected officials up here because they have put in a lot of time. [applause] to see if the town will vote to authorize the selection after public hearing to seek, accept, and disperse grant funds from private, state or federal agencies for the purpose so designated in each specific grant. May I have a motion, please? Move and seconded under article 36 that we pass the article as written. Any c any questions? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion. Those in favor, raise your card. Thank you. All those opposed. Motion carries. Article 37 to see what action the town will take in regard to fixing interest on delinquent taxes and establishing a date for interest to start taxes to be due when committed interest to start on all unpaid taxes days from the date of commitment. The

interest rate and delinquent taxes shall be 7% peranom. May I have a motion please? Been moved and seconded that we pass article 37 as written. Any comments or discussion? Seeing none, I'll call for vote. All those in of article 37, raise your cards. Thank you. All those opposed? The motion carries. Article 38 to see if the town will vote to leave the appointment of standing committee members and minor officials in the hands of the board of select. May I have a motion? Please been moved and seconded that we pass article 38 as written. Any comments or discussion? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on the motion. All those in favor? All those opposed. The motion carries. Article 39 to see if the town will vote to authorize the board of selectment to dispose of any town owned property which they determine is no longer needed or usable by the town on such terms as they deem advisable. May I have a motion, please? Been moved and

seconded that we pass article 39 as written. Any discussion? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote. All those in favor, raise your cards. All those opposed, the motion carries. Article 40. See if the town will vote to authorize the board of selectment on behalf of the town to sell and dispose of any real estate acquired by the town for non-payment of real estate there on such terms as they deem advisable and to execute quick deans thereon. May I have a motion, please? It's been moved and seconded that we pass article 40 as written. Any discussion? Seeing none, a call for a vote. All those in favor of the motion. All those opposed. The motion passes. All article 41 to see if the town will vote to set the interest rate to be paid by the town on abated taxes at 3% pursuant to 36 MRSA section 506. May I have a motion, please? Been moved and second that we pass article 41 as written. Any discussion? Seeing none,

I'll call for a vote on the motion. All those in favor? All those opposed? The motion carries. Article 42 to see if the town will vote to authorize the tax or treasury accept payments of taxes not yet committed pursuant to 36 MRSA section 506. May I have a motion been moved and seconded under article 42 that we pass the article as written. Any discussion? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote. All those in favor raise your card. All those opposed. The motion passes. Article 43 to see if the town will authorize the board of selectment to resolve any disputes with parties having an interest adverse to that of the town which do not involve the expenditure of public funds or where there are sufficient funds in budgeted accounts to allow payment of any is to be settled. May I have a motion please? It's been moved and second we pass article 43 as written. Any discussion? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote. All

those in favor raise your cards. All those opposed. The motion carries. Article 44 to see if the town will vote to authorize the board of selectment to spend an amount not to exceed 412ths of the budget amount in each category of the town of Durham annual budget during the period from January 1, 216 to the close of annual town meeting held in April 2016. May I have a motion, please? It's been moved and seconded that we pass Article 44 as written. Any comments or discussion? Seeing none, I'll call for a vote. All those in favor, raise your cards. All those opposed, the motion carries. Article 45. See if the town will vote to authorize the treasur and administrative assistant to borrow money on notes counter signed by at least three selectmen to pay for the [clears throat] operating cost of the town. I have a motion please. It's been moved and second we pass article 45 is written. Any comments or discussion?

Seeing none, I'll call for a vote. All those in raise your cards. All those opposed. Carries. And with that, the 227th annual town meeting of the town of Dorham is now adjourned. Thank you.