June 9, 2020 ~ Town Meeting

2020-06-09 · Town Meeting · 55:18 · watch on YouTube →

A public hearing on the town warrant, held over Zoom because COVID-19 ruled out a traditional open town meeting, followed immediately by the regular select board meeting on the same link. Ruth, the town administrator, took the meeting through all 22 questions that will appear on the July 14 secret ballot, explaining what the board removed from the warrant to keep the ballot short and why several budgets rose or fell. The municipal portion of the budget is down about $21,000 from last year despite a 39% increase in debt service and a 21% increase in solid waste, achieved largely by cutting maintenance paving in half for one year. Residents asked about trash tags, the undesignated fund balance, the interest rate on delinquent taxes, and how the polling place would be run under COVID-19 precautions. The board then closed the hearing, took the fire chief's, road commissioner's and town administrator's reports, approved the consent agenda and adjourned.

No written minutes could be matched to this meeting. The transcript records that the speaker changed but never who was speaking, so any name attached to a statement below is inferred from context and is marked (?).

What was discussed

1. 0:04
   Public hearing opens

   Kevin opened what he called the town's first virtual public hearing for a town meeting in Durham, and explained that attendees could ask questions with the raise-hand button or in the chat. He said the year was going to be difficult before COVID-19 arrived because the final road bond and the ambulance bond both came onto the budget, adding almost $300,000 with no other change, and that the board's goal was to hold the tax rate flat or slightly lower.

2. 0:04
   Why the ballot differs from the printed warrant

   Ruth (?) explained that the warrant printed in the annual report was marked a draft because the wording of the land use ordinance questions was not finished. COVID-19 then made a traditional town meeting impossible: gatherings are limited to 50 people, some residents are not comfortable attending, and the town runs on a calendar year and must commit taxes.

3. 5:17
   What was taken off the ballot

   To keep the ballot to 22 questions and avoid putting matters that need discussion to a vote without one, the board removed the land use changes, the marijuana opt-in questions, the question on changing to a manager and select board form of government, the reorganisation of certain funds, all capital account funding, the market value adjustment and the donations. A four-page mailer listing the questions with explanations had already gone out to residents.

4. 5:17
   Question 1: spending authority if a budget fails

   The first question authorises the town to spend up to last year's amount on any individual budget that voters turn down. Ruth (?) described it as a failsafe; without it, a rejected budget would require coming back for another vote before anything could be spent.

5. 5:17
   Question 2: public works plow truck

   A capital purchase planned for this year. There was debate about leaving it on the warrant, but the RFP came in lower than last year's price, the money would come from a capital fund rather than taxes, and it would replace a truck more than 20 years old.

6. 5:17
   Question 3: Pine Tree Waste contract

   The current curbside collection contract expires June 30. Two bids came in, both significantly higher than the price of the past three years, which Ruth attributed partly to the collapse of the recycling market. Pine Tree Waste was the low bidder, 32% below the other bid.

7. 5:17
   Budgets that went down

   Fire and rescue, public works, assessing, general assistance, cemeteries, planning, and conservation and recreation are all lower than last year. The largest single reduction came from the board cutting the maintenance paving line in the public works budget in half.

8. 10:18
   Budgets that went up

   Administration rose 3%, mostly from election costs in a big election year and the town clerk's retirement. Animal control rose on the Coastal Humane Society and Lisbon contracts; debt rose 39% on the first payment of the 2019 combined road and ambulance bonds; the Eureka Center rose 2% after the propane furnace died in December and was replaced with heat pumps; solid waste rose 21%; and telecommunications rose 1% on website hosting, a budget largely paid from the Comcast franchise agreement.

9. 10:18
   Question 11 combines ten budgets in one vote

   Animal control, assessing, cemeteries, conservation, recreation and parks, the Eureka Community Center, general assistance, the planning board, the appeals board, the historic district commission and telecommunications are itemised separately in the question but voted on together.

10. 10:18
    Question 5: $10,000 to the emergency fund

    The money would come from undesignated funds, so it would not affect the tax rate. The existing emergency fund can be drawn on only with the approval of both the select board and the budget committee.

11. 10:18
    Question 6: RSU 5 assessment error

    An audit last year found that RSU 5 had assessed Durham incorrectly. The town's December payment to the district was $77,410 less than anticipated and the money lapsed into undesignated funds at year end. The board asks to use it to offset this year's tax commitment.

12. 10:18
    Annual business articles

    The routine articles set the overlay, give the board authority to conduct business, allow operations to continue past the end of the budget year, and permit short-term borrowing in anticipation of taxes. Ruth (?) said the town is taking out a tax anticipation note this year and may need one next year.

13. 10:18
    Bottom line for taxpayers

    The municipal portion of the commitment is down $21,000 from last year despite the increases in debt service and solid waste. The county assessment is not final and the school assessment is not yet known, so no exact tax rate could be given.

14. 15:45
    How and when to vote

    Voting is by yes-or-no questions on July 14. Absentee ballots can be requested by mail, by phone, in the town office during its hours, or online through the state's website, and would be in the office the following week. Voters will receive state ballots, the budget referendum ballot and a ballot for town officials covering the select board, budget committee and school board.

15. 15:45
    Trash tags

    A question asked whether the board had considered raising the tag price to help cover collection costs. Kevin (?) said he did not recall discussing an increase; the board had talked about whether to keep tags at all and decided to leave the programme as it is, but said a price increase would not be unreasonable in future years as contract costs rise.

16. 21:04
    Budget committee member's comments

    Lee, speaking as a member of the budget committee, said the plow truck vote had not been unanimous on either board and wanted that on the record. She cautioned residents that the tax anticipation note is borrowed money and not free, and asked the board to reconvene the solid waste committee to look at other options, noting that every town faces the same collapsed recycling market.

17. 21:04
    Whether halving road maintenance is shortsighted

    Asked by John whether keeping costs down now would mean paying more later as roads deteriorate, Kevin (?) said only half the maintenance was cut, that the public works director was asked to prioritise his list, and that recent work on most roads leaves the town able to take a reduced year. He described it as a one-year measure, said next year's budget is expected to be more painful because of revenue sharing, state aid and excise tax risk, and said the board is committed to returning road maintenance to somewhere between $350,000 and $400,000 a year.

18. 26:21
    Undesignated fund balance

    Answering a chat question from Jeff Wakeman (?), Ruth (?) said the 2019 unassigned balance was $1.2 million and that the unrestricted fund balance net of bond proceeds is over $3 million. She said the balance has been building over the last couple of years but is not where she would want it, and that she would not suggest drawing on it but for the COVID-19 situation.

19. 26:21
    Possible move from a calendar year to a fiscal year

    Ruth (?) described the cash flow problem: taxes are not collected until the end of June or beginning of July, leaving six months with little cash coming in against a seven or eight million dollar budget. Kevin (?) said the board would begin discussing a change to a fiscal year so that budget approval and tax collection are better in sync and the town does not need tax anticipation notes.

20. 26:21
    Interest rate on delinquent taxes

    Phyllis Brandon (?) asked how the rate is set. Ruth (?) said the state finance department sets a maximum and the town generally uses it. The mailer said 9%, but a correction came in setting the maximum at 8%, and it was caught before the ballots were printed.

21. 31:47
    Running the polls under COVID-19

    A resident asked about sanitation and whether ballots could be brought out to cars. Ruth (?) described distanced lines outside like a grocery store queue, hand sanitizer and wipes, masks worn by staff and requested of voters, and said absentee ballots are available up to 8 p.m. on election day this year rather than stopping the previous Thursday. On drive-up voting and wiping down booths, Kevin and Ruth (?) said they would have to check the voting rules and follow CDC guidance; the resident offered to send the CDC's polling place recommendations.

22. 37:23
    Select board meeting convened

    With the hearing closed, the board moved straight into its regular meeting on the same Zoom link. A quorum was established, the May 5 minutes were added to the consent agenda alongside May 26, and there was no public comment. Kevin (?) read an email from Becky reporting that the state was sending guidelines, personal protective equipment and sneeze guards for the office.

23. 37:23
    Fire chief's report: well and septic projects

    Drilling at the station had reached 700 feet without a sufficient water supply, and a crew was coming the next day to frack the well, which the chief said was not what anyone wanted but was the only way to finish the project. A crew was due later in the week to start the septic project.

24. 37:23
    Surplus SCBA filling station

    The chief told the board he was looking into the value of a remote filling station bought at the same time as the air compressor for filling SCBA bottles. It was intended for a truck that was never specified to fit it, has never been used, and takes up space. Because he believes it was bought with grant money he is checking with a state fire service representative before any sale.

25. 42:34
    Online burn permits suspended

    The chief asked the Forest Service to suspend the paid online permit option for Durham residents, leaving the free warden's report site. The paid portal let someone pull a permit at six in the morning before the day's fire class is issued at nine; that had recently happened and a resident began burning on a high class day, which also leaves the permit holder on the hook if something goes wrong.

26. 42:34
    Law enforcement coverage after July 1

    After a call last week where coverage was hard to get, the chief learned that the state police were withdrawing from their coverage agreement with the sheriff's office as of July 1, and that responsibility for policing the town outside state roads falls to the sheriff. The sheriff was given only hours' notice, is adding a position, and will attend the board's next meeting on the 23rd. The chief said coverage is adequate for now but the board should establish what it expects and what that will cost.

27. 42:34
    Road commissioner's report

    Calvin (?) reported last year's culvert replacement list finished, with a new one already on Stackpole Road. The crosswalk at Runaround Pond was painted, stop-ahead bars were put down on Quaker, Meeting and Rabbit, and lines were striped at the fire station, public works and the town office.

28. 47:51
    Paving, speed radar and neighbourhood work

    Meadow Road was finished to Route 125 and the Swamp and Meadow intersection was paved that day, with the four corners still to be marked. On Day Road the centre line was realigned and the ditches pulled back to line up better with 125, riprap went into the embankments, and grinding was expected that week. In the Deervale neighbourhood tree trimming was finished on Cottage Woods and Deervale, and a 24-inch cross culvert was replaced on Cottage Woods. The speed radar is being moved to the other end of the road to compare directions.

29. 47:51
    Town administrator's report

    Ruth had no written report. The office has had lines and fully booked morning appointments, and more than 300 absentee ballot requests have come in before the ballots themselves have arrived, so stuffing and addressing them will take considerable time. She asked to keep office hours as they are for now. The tax anticipation note closed that day, giving the town access to money for this month's and next month's school payments.

30. 52:57
    Upcoming meetings

    The next regular meeting is Tuesday, June 23 at 6:30, expected to be on Zoom. July 14 is voting day; whether that meeting is on Zoom was left open. Absentee ballots would be in the office June 15, and requests could be made at any time.

What was decided

• 31:47
  Motion to close the public hearing on the secret ballot referendum to be held July 14, seconded by Mark Farren (?). Roll call recorded yes from Rob Panto (?), Mark Farren (?), Rich George, Todd Buller (?) and the chair, and Kevin declared the hearing closed.passed
• 37:23
  The May 5 minutes were added to the consent agenda alongside the May 26 minutes, as an amendment to the agenda by the chair.passed
• 47:51
  Motion to accept the consent agenda as presented with the addition of the May 5 minutes, seconded by Todd Buller (?). Roll call recorded yes from all five board members.passed
• 52:57
  Motion to adjourn. Roll call recorded yes from Rob Panto (?), Rich George, Todd Buller (?), Mark Farren (?) and the chair.passed

An outcome reads "unclear" where the recording does not state it plainly. The recogniser drops short words, and "the motion does not carry" is one missing word from its opposite.

Worth knowing

• 10:18
  The municipal budget is down $21,000 even though debt service rose 39% on the first payment of the 2019 combined road and ambulance bonds and solid waste rose 21% on the new contract. Ruth (?) said the full effect of the waste contract will not be felt until next year, because only five payments fall in this year.
• 10:18
  RSU 5's auditors found the district had assessed Durham incorrectly, leaving the town's December payment $77,410 short of what was expected. That money lapsed into undesignated funds and question 6 asks to spend it against this year's tax commitment.
• 21:04
  Maintenance paving was halved to hold the tax rate down. Kevin called it a one-year measure, said the board is committed to restoring it to between $350,000 and $400,000 a year, and warned that next year's budget is expected to be the harder one because of state revenue sharing, school aid and excise tax.
• 31:47
  Absentee ballots can be cast up to 8 p.m. on election day this year, rather than stopping the Thursday before, and more than 300 requests had already come in before the ballots were printed.

Motion language found in the transcript

Located by pattern matching, with no model involved: "I move that", "I'll second", "all those in favour". This is an independent check on the summary above: 1 passage of motion language, against 4 decisions summarised.

Elsewhere

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