TranscriptBudget Committee Meeting ~ February 12, 2024

the select board meeting you guys went start Okay one minute we're live you said yes it's our watch your language so we probably should wait till 6:30 people are sitting at home they're not going to until entertaining than the world news

chief's win as I was with the Patriots lost years pass it was depressing I didn't want them to win it's funny how that works I can honestly say I don't even know who W play I don't football game nice to see that it wasn't like a runaway by one person or first second more I sorry that was second half was past my bedtime so I was only half paying attention by that point

ahead and command this meeting uh it is 6:30 on Monday February the 12th this is uh budget committee convening for it's uh third and probably final meeting to review the town the select board met uh last Tuesday and made five changes uh to uh the budget they're proposing and that's why we're meeting tonight to review those changes and see if we want to amend the just revote um

recommendations to either the same number or a different number so the the five changes they made interrup Milton can we say the Pledge of Allegiance please be happy to thank of America and to the for [Music] thank you so the uh the five changes they made um was there was a line under

Administration uh dues and subscriptions in which the actual was higher than what was originally stated under municipal buildings uh the security actual was higher than what was previously stated under and codes uh dues and subscriptions uh the actual turned out to be higher than what was stated uh under the fire department's budget health insurance uh was higher than was actually stated under Solid Waste hauling the um

actual was higher than stated so this look would proposed a new amount um so we'll need to review those five uh line items and then a review of the fund balance and the amount that the select board is now proposing to transfer so why don't we just oh unless there's any questions I'm just going to go down this list I have questions but I can wait until we get to each item okay I I have questions as well and

kind of uh an overaction question um I I went and plugged numbers into the spread from what we did and and uh it was unclear to me what we decided on one of the U the church Union Church numbers yes so I was I was going to I was going to have that discussion when we got when we talked about the fund transfer unless you want to take that out of order

items well okay my my basic concern is um if my numbers and I think my numbers are right the budget in the budget increase for spending is 99.8% over actual last year now that's that's one of the numbers that we used and I entered the new I entered the four changes that Jerry had uh given

us into the actuals so I updated the actuals updated our numbers and on this spreadsheet on on the spreadsheet the PDF the on page call it they call it Reser transfer is out 998 99 8500 that was was 516 I think yeah 56 836 which was the original number that the select board gave us for

the capital reserve account request but we changed that and it never get changed in in the P well we don't have a column anymore that says budget committee Andel board so I think this is still just representing the select board I don't think it's representing our numbers at

can't save this discussion until we get through the the uh five budget lines that I for want people to be aware that the budget's growing a lot this year a lot maybe 10% we don't know exactly because of what school and County are going to give us but it's it could be 10% easily that's my only point but yes we we can do the rest of it okay I do because I do plan to cover that those questions any other general

go um I'd like to go to um the administrative budget which should be on page to us from the town office so the one change is uh line 20- it means the total budget would have changed to now be in here I mean that's that that's essentially it with uh a little bit of extra in there for for projection for next year so the

actual goinging up so we don't know what the dues are for this year no went up $334 from the last line was that one subscription or I I I don't know they when Mark did the adjustments that's just what the ending was because we still pay December bills in January so when we're putting this Bud together we don't necessarily have actions so all of these dues and subscriptions are yearly yes okay and we're and it's still a guess for what 2024 is going to be right based on what the actuals was for 23 for 14 166 I just bumped it up to

dues and subscriptions what what do what does that represent dues and subscriptions they're dues to like um like Allen's code enforcement no that's in a different section well right but in general the notes on this is GP Cog and MMA yeah GP Cog is MMA so that's the big one that's the 14 yeah so we pay dues to MMA we pay dues to GP Cog um okay and they're pretty pricey like GP cogs like eight grand belong to that but they they gave us an $8,000 Grand last

that it went up like I said is $33 from the last time we met number was 471 156 this was the spreadsheet that um Neil made just adding to column and now it's 473 656 so that's more than $334 difference I can't I don't know about me a spreadsheet started at 471 156 it's not my spreadsheet it's the town spreadsheet that's what you sent us all he did was add a column right showing

talking uh 471 156 um we had a motion that failed which was going to decrease that by 5,000 so I believe we voted on 471 156 and now you're saying that uh budget is 473 656 yeah because dues went not $2500 I thought you said

actuals different line oh actual to budget right so the bud the actual in your print out if I'm correct is actually $1,166 so he added the 300 and change to make it 145 round it up increase for that line on was 2500 and that came from what well the DU

subscriptions originally was 12,000 now it's 145 that and he upped it to 145 question so that the budget that the amount that we approved was that we voted on B was the number that was the original number of 471 yeah 156 if you add 2500 to that you

get 473 656 right okay yeah it was 471 5 6 after we added another line for building repairs we originally 466 156 we added yeah that was already yeah that one's not the one um any general questions or I'll accepted to a approval of

$656 for the administration budget now now you just we have to vote on the budget what's on the table right now is 473 656 is if what happened last week didn't being raised but being transferred is other areas were padded that I'm not sure that it needed to be reviewed again

I think it probably would have all worked out but the fact that it's not being raised it's being transferred I don't think that's a sword to die on or whatever to die discussion CNN the uh the motion has been moved and seconded that we appropriate 473,000 6 $56 for the administration budget all those in favor all those opposed so it's 6 to

okay all right next is under municipal buildings 21- 7362 labeled changed 1600 to 1800 based on new ual John or Jerry want to address that yeah the actuals coming at 1728 this year 2023 so this one confused me a little bit because security doesn't usually change you know what you're being charged each month so what did they go up did they change what happened I I don't know or

actual the actual came in at 1728 we had budgeted I don't think it's G to go down so so I guess I'm just I mean I'm guess I'm trying to figure out why some of these lines are based on last year plus inflation instead of looking at the actual bill and multiplying it out because we know what it costs us it's not like it's a gas bill or it's a set price bill I I don't believe it is I I don't

know I mean this is the number that came in under that code for the total what are we actually paying for security of like the um buildings there's an alarm that goes off like we have security here security at uh church security at the Town Office

it's all the codes to come in and know so considering that that I'm sorry I was ask so what changed from last year to this year that it dou well again when when things got entered into Trio a couple years ago they didn't get entered correctly so it's it's hard to know we didn't really have good numbers to even to begin with we're trying to like home that you know get that so we do have good

the union church but we probably won't be responsible for securing the union church this coming year yeah probably but you don't know nothing nothing else has changed right now we don't know that we could still own it in other words but the the odds are we're not going to right I I totally agree right but right now we don't

is there going to be a credit will it be a credit we just won't apply anything to it we won't pay that bill the bill should go down well I guess that's why leit the right word Security in general should go down if we're not paying for the security after the church that's exactly right but I guess if we are trying to hone it to be a little bit more accurate I think there are lines here that we can and especially now that we're into the middle of February we know what the 2024 rates are so it's just food for thought for next year because I think some of these can be based on looking at the actual bill for 2024 versus looking at the totals from the year from a year ago but if it gets coded to that same line and that's what the total is that's what the total is right I mean it wouldn't be it wouldn't be anything else getting according to that line or it shouldn't be right but I guess what I'm saying is

it's a contracted service so you've been informed what your contracted rate is for 2024 I don't know if it is a contracted service I haven't seen a contract for the security somebody signed one at one point in time that agreed to pay a certain amount yeah I don't know while you receive service I I don't I don't know that so my recollection that could change but up up until last year we were with a a town I mean with a company yeah we changed companies last year I believe or half we have been pay $240 a year for un church for

monitoring I don't know if that's changed so I mean if if that was correct and we no longer going to be securing need insurance the savings would be uh 2235 that we had voted on previously second motion and the reason I the reason I say that is they we've been talking about possibility the Union Church becoming not becoming property of the town of Durham and I'm quite sure that that's will be the wishes of the town and therefore that security should that price will drop next

seconded by Neil that we um what had we 22235 uh that we stick with our previous 22235 correct 22 discussion Mr chair yes sir I think the question would be when do we actually turn over Union Church I mean I think it could be six months could be towards the end of the year I I'm looking at these two to say because we don't really have any written agreement or you know we're writing so I'm going to say I thinking we've got it we've already got three months in by four months in by the time the town meets it'll be at least a couple months after that before we go to closing do all that other kind of stuff so I'm not sure the savings are going to be a full Year's worth is what I'm trying to say now not a lot of money in this particular case but some of the others we're going to have there will be a 68 month Pro rating where we're actually going to be paying things for Union Church until it's officially handed

over so on and so forth I am seeing that the that the budget is lower than what the actual was for this year by about 30 $130 or electricity elri telephone and internet line ending 7210 some of that may have included the town office but we broke the town office all so this is all buildings except

discussion seeing none uh the been moved and seconded that we appropriate 22,23 towards the municipal buildings account all those in favor all those opposed it's a vote 7 to to the planning and cods and I direct your attention to line

dues and it was 600 that one looks like it went from 1500 Jo or Jerry want to explain to you with that is that the uh actual was 1280 that came in after the enforcer because of you um does he have more dues and subscriptions pass code enforcers um I don't know about the pass code enforcement had um but also because we're doing tax maps online we had to pay a subscription to ezri account that I didn't even know about until at the very end of December we paid it that was a $550 subscription that wasn't counted for last year we didn't know about

I'm sorry it's okay Mr chair if I made also the code enforcement is new to planning and code enforcement right so his dues that he paid last year would have been under Administration so all of his stuff has been transferred to planning and what do we call planning and code enfor

in it it could be I what I what I do was I looked at what the actual adjustments were and just adjusted from there so to the Comm we're looking at a $900 increase what we voted on was 123 600 and now the requested budget is

increase is there a reason why trying to find again line is this yeah doing subscriptions it would be 27- 735 four so it's 1280 is what was actual is there a reason why you chose 1500 just round magical thinking why not 1300 or fine you can do no I'm just asking you why you chose that number just if you knew something we didn't know as far as dues amounts that have gone up or

recommend uh $14,300 for total planning and C enforcement which is a $1,300 budget for dues and subscriptions increase no Neil and seconded by Allen that we appropriate 124,000 $300 for planning and code enforcement between your the your motion and what the select board is proposing is how you come up to 200 I to

last year actually right last year's actual 200 over last no $20 over last year's actual instead of rounding up to 1500 he elected to round up to 1300 got and subscriptions normally they're throughout the year like I said I just got the eurey de a lot of times they do

just and we don't really know how much they went up from 22 to 23 no there are like formulas that dve some of them like it depends on how much you make and there's that other appropriate $24,300 to planning and code enforcement all those in favor all those opposed I will abstain Iain all right so four it would be five three 3 two I don't believe I believe Donna said n right I get her as a n and I said n oh I can see that so that would be four

passes moving on to the fire department budget Public Safety fire department and attention to line 30- 7055 7055 which is health insurance and the change is insurance it was two it went from 20 2225 now the budget is 20 500 so a

difference of $225 um there was no there was no change in the actual we no change in the actual number the actual number was 2444 was 2449 from the beginning that number hasn't changed was 2442 2449 and that's what my at least my she hand what it isre so looks like there was an error in the budget line he wants to bump it up

20025 25 yeah you're chairman go ahead that we um recommend 63,800 45 for the fire department wait wait 603 yeah 845 845 which increases the health insurance line to $2,500 second motion was by Neil and seconded by Phyllis that we appropriate [Music] 63,800 $45 for the fire department budget

yes I know I'm sound like a broken record but we know what our health insurance fees are that's a January to December calendar year so what are they for 2024 for the fire department because that's what the budget should be now I don't have that information by

just going on the actuals that's what the ACT I'm guessing it's pretty close to the actuals but it is well the actuals was last year and I know for my business it went up $100 per person which I can't do the math that quickly in my head but mine went up about yeah probably 177% almost 20% they didn't go up much last year State correct that's what I mean from 23 to 24 it went up about about 177% for my business right but hear it didn't

you mean 22 to 23 the budget was okay I guess that's what I'm saying is I know for my business 2022 to 2023 it didn't change all that much right but it was it was felt in my budget for 24 because it went up a lot so I just do

you want to increase it no I want to know what I want to know what reality because you guys have reality you didn't bring it with you but you have reality I'm looking at it flat here you know was 2463 actual 2022 and then we budgeted

2525 this year actual was 244 and it looked like what we came in with was 2225 which probably was a little shy which is why this number has been bumped up to 2500 but this is also health insurance just for the fire department which which Chief trip doesn't like

Affleck type supplemental Chief trip just gets he gets it in it gets cash so how does that get calculated that's his that's in his different thing I don't know I'd have to ask Mark how how we do this we go pretty much on the actuals all right then I'm not going to recommend an increase since there's a lot we you guys don't know we don't know all the details from every number that's that's correct that's that's a lot to try to other

is to appropriate 600 those in favor all those opposed so it be five two and one be Don and the line that has changed is [Music] 42- presented and voted on was 350,000 the select board is now recommending a budget of 380,000 in an increase of 30,000 Jerry or Joe please so the actual

come in at year or whatever the uh CPI is consumer price index for hauling trash whatever's higher so if you add the 5% to the 361 it's about very diffult to nail down because of Tage tiing fees on this at the select board meeting and Jerry's original number recommendation was 375 if I'm not mistaken which made sense to me because the pricing is fixed for the rest of this year and then six months next year we'll get an increase of I guess 5% or CPI whatever it is so I think 375 is a good number after I'm going recommend that move that so make motion is for 375,000 is there a second second all

right so Neil chairman guess we need to make the number the total Solid Waste right which is 389 so I need you to take take back your second I take back and you'd like to redo your motion yes okay Mr chairman I move that we uh recommend $389,000 for solid ways

389,000 even yes and that would be 375 for hauling and two for tags 12 for buy waste 389 do I have a second all right so Jill and Neil all right so the motion by Neil which was seconded by Jill is that we appropriate a total of

375,000 for hauling ,000 for tags and $112,000 for bulky was a discussion um uh if you take the 36134 and you do it an increase of 5% for half the year you multiply by5 and I come up with 37 336 verus 36134 divide by added a 5% increase which came 379 so you rounded it to 380 but if you do it by two and a half% because you're only going half the year it come to 370 336 that doesn't work it's 5% or whatever they charge us for 6 months plus whatever we have now for six months it's not 2 and a half% that that math doesn't okay so 30 36134 / 12 that's per month

right so 18964 plus 361 can you write that number down 37336 apparently it does work out yeah you're right it does so I think we're still high 370 if fin doesn't change yeah yeah I'm okay with 370 well 370 you have to go like

I and I'm confused by the mass so this may just me but last year the number the 361 came about because the first six months were 2022 prices and the next so it it's maybe more than 5% is what I'm trying to say here so the first half of last year we were probably paying % less than what we're we paid for this what we think we're going to have to pay this year if that makes sense so last year the first June or January through June was on a 2022 price then it went up

5% and so I'm not sure that 5% covers it but my math may be maybe crap so Jill the contract that we were given for the next five years I have WR WR down from watching the meetings was going to be estimate is that an is that bid an increase from what our last bid was and that 372 was the first year of the contract not 372 for for five years so

that's why I think 375 should cover us because it's more it's more than what our our first half of the year is going to be and it's only for half a year so that covers Us for this year unless um and it should cover us for this year plus a little bit unless before we got the bill we've had such an inlux of residents that we expect our tonnage to go way

happened there's people coming to yeah have we built so many new houses since we asked for the bid that we know it's going to be going up no we don't know because we don't know what these people are doing with their garbage and that sort of thing you know we don't we just don't on the numbers that we have any discussion yes the is it 372 that Jill mentioned is that locked in or that's if that's that's if if it's a million tons of garbage it's 372 if it's a million one it's 380 yeah so then they assume some growth rate I guess in tons of garbage yeah over from 23 to 24 so I

don't know how much garbage we're going to have right that's that's that's an happens seemed like last year year or two years ago we went over in garbage and we had to going either go to the town town meeting and like this year SP an article yeah yeah I mean that's that's what'll happen is right the more it gets thrown up we the bill is going to show up and so you I mean this is an estimate regardless of what number you put in here it's an estimate on how much is going to get thrown out town so either stop putting things in the B the price is going to go up as we add people add stuff to the bag it's it's

coming this year no okay and the recycling Market could improve too yeah I mean there's a lot of variables I mean so it's it's hard like I said it's hard to nail down if you if you underfund it the worst case scenario is you just ask for the money in the

any other discussion I would just say that $5,000 is like 1% of the trash budget and that's I don't think that's we kind of ask people to use a very fine pencil on a lot of these things so I guess I'm in favor of 380 but the motion's been done well this is going back to the select board to make their final decisions soon other discussion CNN the motion is to

appropriate 375,000 for huling 2,000 for tags and 12,000 for bulky was day all those in all those [Music] okay and that brings us to the last item and that's the discussion of the fund balance balance and so that would bring us to page

refer to 14 page 14 out of 15 um you could also page one out of 15 or page one out of updated information was um let Jerry speak on this the uh bids came in today for uh doing a reval for the town and so that that is one reason what so I'm I'm pretty confident I can't say with any I can't predict the future but I'm guessing that the the select Bo are going to revisit the amount they have currently budgeted um based on the numbers that Jerry will be telling them tomorrow evening so they have that to discuss what the what what he got for bids for the assessing and we have to discuss we left it out of our voting uh

last week the 9 9,543 donation for the Union Church to bring their total donation to 31,000 so Jerry do you want to start with the what you got for the bids for the yeah so uh we got those today Don is fing them over but for purposes tonight the estimate to do the Ral is 220,000 to be completed in 27

180 we budget committee recommended right the budget committee recommended putting 140 in the assessing you've already got 60 to make the 200 okay and did the select board agree to that they haven't they they haven't voted or this know because they were waiting for this RFP to come back we knew this was going to come in tonight today and you guys would see it first and make a decision on where you want to go with your number based on the estimate and then we would take it from there oh I guess what I'm saying is is we already went up from what the budget recommended or from what the select board recommended and you guys didn't chat about that to at your last made no sense to until we got the actual number okay so you guys are seeing the number first so I'd recommend talking about it seeing what you're thinking and then we'll we'll talk about it tomorrow evening seems to me that we did have the church

conversation in that total I thought we did too because I remember asking I like just just focus on the reval number for a moment you have a um yeah I I I would I'm not going to make a motion but just conversationally I would I would want to tr to do the the total bill 225 even though we're not doing it until 27 what's that even though we're not doing it until 27 we're just taking it out of one savings account and putting into another savings account to make sure that we don't have to raise it it between now and 27 if they can do it next year then fine would also be the option of you know instead of moving so you wanted to

to 460 so the the option sounds like proposing is that we would do all that in this year but they also naturally there's also option of you could do 80 and 80 this year and next year I mean is is there a it's it's that money still going to be there is there any guarantee that the money's still going to be

the town hall burns down we have to build you just want to get it done and forget about it yeah I want to get done forget about it I don't want anyone else to steal some of good meeting Ste the money and I agree you know we can ask to be put on a cancel a list so if somebody cancels then you know so we get to go

sooner is this conversation time yes I'm smiling Jo I am too so but I do want to actually address you and I've been trying to get up to speed on Main statutes and Municipal stuff and the select board is responsible for Capital uh Reserve funds you guys the trust know that you're actually in statute you guys are the ones responsible for investing in so I don't know where you're at with that but this money that we're talking about can go into a CD for two years or whatever and I I would certainly hope you guys would do something like that there has been some talk about taking some of this money and investing it we haven't gotten that part with that conversation but yeah it is an an always an option we have uh to take this additional funds that we have and allocate them some sort of

ready do if if we do we need to sign now to get on for 2027 sign so there's only one bid we but if if they start if they keep filling up and then we go in next year I guess what I'm trying to say is we put the 220 aside and we tell them we want to do it we sign the contract now and if yes how much money do we put down I me I'm in favor of the F right 220 whatever it is but we will need to award that fairly quickly typically you've got like 30 days to award it so Donna is looking at over right now I mean it's one bit she's very with a company um but she just wants to look it over um and I'm I'm assuming the board's going to want to look at it too and maybe meet with the company but yeah I mean there was one bid it's kind of like the solid waste bid you either go with it or or you don't and then you find another another way of any money down if we sign with they when they get started which if they're going to

complete it in 27 they may get started in 26 so they may need some money to get started absolutely but there's not a depos you I haven't looked at the bid Donna has all five of them so she's she's taking well there was one bid but there are five copies of the same proposal I she just took them that was because the board gets one so she'll look it over and um she'll get back to us once Don's done with their assessment then they'll come and bring the board we'll take a look at it ourselves or have the company come in talk to us the number number is what it is I'm I'm in favor of doing it I was just curious if we had to have ex amount available to in advance or whatever but you got 60 now so if you put the other aside you'll have

about the church was to Move It from the capital Improvement column to to the Community Service donation vot but I agree when I'm looking at the numbers I don't see that we need a number change well you were right about the col there's no budget column versus select board colum right so I was confusing that which is why they didn't change it on their end and why I changed it on mine so but I wanted to look at our

numbers you changed you put it in so the number did you put the church Neil in your it it came out completely I thought we took it out okay well but it didn't come out of the budget because the 99 8500 number on townwide was was the 516 originally

your budget it hasn't changed that's still there this when it comes to the warrant but um if if they're different that number's going to have to be you know there'll be two numbers obviously so I changed that number to five I don't know where you are it's on page 14 on the budget time wide it's called the time wide that's where they're transferring out the capital funds capital reserve funds I'm page 14 and 15 very last line

okay the 516 number that's in there 56 second to last line that the that Mark is using to transfer to expense the capital stuff so we changed that number budget commit changed that number we we took out the church right and we added 80 grand right so that number is now 587 293 293 yep

that's what I have in my spreadsheet yep that's correct what's that and you're you're moving it back up yeah we want to make it another 20,000 yeah we haven't done that yet but un you're not in there was my point Jill that's all I'm saying right so are you at the end of the day are you looking to go

there so you added 20 grand to the assess I don't [Music] know I I voted for the Union Church money just because we said we give it to I don't remember the rec I don't recomend why I don't even know if we can open that up now actually if we can do it well it's I think we can because it's tied into the change of the reevaluation information that came in so I think we can yeah but we can choose to re rote on

that tonight on what we want on the Union Church no on the whole transfer on the whole amount we voted on them as line items voted to trans last meeting we voted to transfer from the fund balance 580,000 so we can now change that vote but that's different those are different items no we just didn't include the Union Church no no no those are different items the that that single hand note that they gave us this one here where the capital reserve St on didn't didn't I think we had this discussion and Joe I don't know if you were here but maybe maybe Rich was we

whe we ask whether these are going to be individual items on individual Arles they are going to be which one Public Work fire department all these things yes yes yeah those will be so the union church is going to be a separate yes yes absolutely so we I thought we voted on individual maybe we didn't I don't on the to oh we did okay simple yes we did all right I'm not sure that they knew whether it was going to be separate articles or not we had didn't know so do we know now did you say yes they are we haven't gone through all the detail but yes it looks like they would have to be separate articles one

that it was not so that you weren't pitting public works against fire department and things like that right but it was just one amount with an explanation of where the money's going you don't trust your fellow citizens to do it like that I it's it's a headache that we don't need that day it's not a matter of trust or anything it's just a headache that we don't need that day if somebody wants the detail of it we can explain what it includes

considerations the the the new cost for the revaluation and uh Union Church monies we now need to discuss what we would like to propose to be 99 8500 that transfer want to adjust that because of the new revalve cost do we want to church or do we need another meeting once we know whether there separate one articles or not because that's what we're supposed to be voting on as one Artic not to Jerry's timeline we're not allowed another meeting well you can have some takes many meeting as you need to get it done yeah I mean I just we got to get putting that warrant together can't put a warrant together unless I have numbers to put two it so that's right but I I'm just maybe I'm getting too technical but I thought we were supposed to be voting on warrants that's so we need guidelines of if these are going to be individual warrants or is this going to be a transfer out

ahead and do our vote as if it's individual articles and then if they decide not to do it as Doles they just take that total amount and that will be our recommendation that probably is the way to do it yeah right now back to the so so we have

two questions do we want to include un your church and do we want to do the full to personel in favor of both yeah so if we're going to break this down by each we'll just we'll we'll address those put on the list and we'll discuss and vote we do that question no motion oh I kind introduce each

request so going down the uh list of requests for the 2024 capital reserve um the P the select board is recommending for Public Works the amount of move I like that second all right so let's see for the same amount learn this turn Comm so it's been moved

I the moved by Allan and seconded by Neil Neil Neil yes they both be me to it all right that we approve the request of $25,000 transferred to the capital reserve account for Public Works discussion I if I said stated that right correct correct okay no discussion seeing none um we'll put to a vote uh the motion is to move

$25,000 to the capital to the public works capital reserve account all those in favor and that's un 80 so Z Donna left she's sick oh I'm department the select board has recommended transferring $180,000 to the fire department Reserve account so mooved second it's been moved

by Jill and seconded by Allen to uh move $180,000 uh capital reserve into the figh department capital reserve account all those in favor that would be S nothing all right Administration and buildings the select board recommendation is to

transfer $10,000 into the administration and municipal buildings capital reserve account so mov it's been moved by Allen and seconded by a second administration and municipal buildings any discussion CN all in favor will be 7 to Z now we're at

yeah go ahead some time I make a motion that we transfer $160,000 from the funds balance to the reevaluation fund just we had originally 140 oh and that we makeing 160 that's 20 yeah thank you you're welcome second so changing 140 to 160 and it was bill and

alen the second it's been uh the motion has been made by Jill and seconded by Allan that we moove $160,000 from the capital reserve account for assessing the motion to move $160,000 uh from the capital reserve account for assessing all those in favor unanimous do now grants motion uh Mr chairman just a a point of order I guess grants and Union Church are not capital reserve accounts

from well I'm I'm just I'm just they're not capital reserve I don't know they going to show up they're not going to show up in the capital reserve what is the first 21,000 that where is the 21,000 that's in the church now is that not a capital reserve is that just in their account that is a capital but this is not going to be for going into that account this is going to be a gift as I understand it right well let's talk about grants first we're just talking grants yeah grants are not a capital not a capital that's all I'm saying is not no big deal on it yeah but we going to say where it's where it's coming where it's coming from and going to so so what is listed as all these

would we not have to add the 9540 street to Grant the church is not in the grants now right no the grants is at I don't think so I I don't know how they do so it's a restricted account but it's not yeah I I guess it's yeah probably like a technicality it's it's considered a a Reser account but it's under the restricted account in the same restricted account as your emergency reserves yeah your uh the assessing reserve my only point is statute wise you guys don't have any control over it like you do capital reserve very true right I'd agree with that I mean that might be something we have to look at for next year to separate that out a little differently but I don't think it but if I'd like to just recommend that we just have one Union Church account of 31,000 whatever it comes out to I yeah well you already you have to do you got 21,000 in whatever account that is now you got to do something with that

what's the difference between 21,000 and adding another 9500 to that we were waiting to hear back from the lawyer I think is what it was well yes the town could say let's let's put $95,000 into down 9500 sorry 9500 into that account to bring it up and then there' be another article on the beat that to say transfer that out so the article that's been doing Church won't cover TR at some point they've got to transfer the other 21,000 what TR to say so what's the difference between 21 whatever E I mean lack of a better

word it's a shell game anyway you at the easiest way to just move that for a donation so we we can't necessar directly from that fund we have we have to donate from from basically the general fund from the undesignated and how does this tie into grants it doesn't so that'ss yeah please well I'm just going to put the 9500 in Grants I don't think so now

no should be included under capital reserve is that correct if not where's it where is it go it's not a capital reserve account you don't know what it is it's doesn't it's irrelevant at this point I just what do you guys have it listed as what did you say it was it was gr matching Reserve it's under the restricted amounts well actually it isn't the restricted a here so it's under it's under the committed amounts committ am they're in dedicated Reserve account is that the budget summary yes it's 15 to

don't know what it's going to be used for Grants though for Grants like for instance like the chief is getting some radios he needs like 20,000 to be able to get that he'll get it back rather than taking that out of his operational budget you take it out of that and then we'll replenish it back when it we get it's like a Rota you talk the grant the matching Reserve yes right that 27077 Y what what we're asking here is just to make it just to get it up to around around number of 30,000 we trying to keep it there so when he uses that 20 we put it back and it still stays at 30 I know they're going both him and Calvin are going after another safety Grant which is a matching Grant it's a $5,000 so it's 2500 2500 so if that comes out next year

perhaps we'll ask to put 2500 back in the grants to keep that at a $30,000 that's that's the idea so I make a motion to transfer from the funds balance the grants matching Reserve hang on grants matching Reserve committed account that should cover us for all of our work I'll second so it's been the mo it's been moved and seconded that we transferred 2,293 to the grants matching Reserve

fund um discussion so now keeping a running so the motion is to transfer to the committed reserve of the grants matching reserve the committed grants matching Reserve fund it's from the fund balance all right from the fund balance transfer $2,293 from the fund balance to the

Grant matching Reserve opposed 7 Z okay now we discuss the Union Church can you just a question can you remind me how where did the figure 9,5 I I know about the $21,000 we've already raised how was it decided that we should give them a round figure of 31,000 because that's I know that's how you came up with the 9543 but what was it what did the 31,000 the it was it was last year during public meeting uh they Rose I believe lowest um raised $10,000 on the

floor y um so when it just came down to budget this year we made it an even $31,000 Rather Make It 21,000 or 31,000 the 10,000 didn't get transferred into a reserve it did not that was raised on the floor ra went back into the general the general so we're trying to now just give him give give back the money that the town approved last exact year we just evened it out and gave them back that the idea

I move we transfer from a general fund 9,543 to where where Joe are we moving here 79 the Union Church restoration Reserve that want to put it yes wait one second the intent is if the church goes to the this the intent is is to put this question for $31,000 as a donation out to to to the Historical Society if if the motion passes for transferring the church so we have a motion do we have a

and seconded by Allan that we transfer the general fund to the Union Church restoration Reserve fund further motion to transfer 9,543 general fund to the Union Church restoration Reserve fund all those in favor all those opposed 6 to1

is there a motion um I think you got to say it we'll just say so right so uh pre we previously voted to transfer $50,000 even from the capital from the general fund uh to the Eureka capital reserve so we didn't vote because we voted on the big we vot got do a vote all right so uh the motion is to transfer $50,000 from the uh capital reserve general fund to the uh durm Eureka capital reserve fund all those in favor all those opposed and so that would be

70 all right I believe we got through everything yeah so that means the total for 99- 8500 would be department 10,000 to Municipal Building 160 for reevaluation 200$ 2,293 to Grant match 50,000 to Eureka and 10,000 or not oh I said 10,000 whoops it's not 10,000 as it 9543 thank you I 16836 66836 that's what I got that's I say it again 616 836

616 if select board decides not to do it individually we bless the total that makes wasted step but we don't have to come back and vote for 6 so you want to have like an alternative vote and and just a total total amount for they don't want to do if they decide to roll them up as one we've lessed the total yeah just so they know so this is a transfer out this is a transfer out this is the total of what we've been talking about here Jerry Cherry what um when we vote up we do what joh reques

just what does the Sela now need to do to meet its goal of a 0% um of a flat rate for the for the municipal budget that will depend on where they land with these numbers I I mean I really can't answer that unless I know what how they're going to vote if I mean if they vote everywhere where same you do I'd have to plug it in and see what that number didn't we vote on that number last year last that transfer yes we did

yeah the last we voted 58 for transfer correct and now we're voting 616 836 no well not necessarily it's two differents well I why not because but we we were going to originally we we had the discussion do we just vote on the total amount which John proposing or do we vote on each individual account in case they make that into separate articles and then all we got to do is total them up and that would be the but those two numbers aren't directly connected no right fund balance and transfer out are two different lines right I guess I'm missing the vote on that the $500,000 originally proposed by the select board jury corre or a way to limit the Noe rate increase not directly connected to the capital correct just similar numbers but they just have to be close it's all right when when I put the numbers in from your last meeting your transfer result was 587 293 but your transfer out of fund balance was just 580 so they they're not

exactly the same I think if you wanted to try and make it the same you would add what you added today to that number which I think is that 29,000 435 that's all you've added well the fund balance is supposed to no we add pay for the increases in the operating budget too well yeah and and and two I I think it's really important that you all this zero that we're all trying to

get to and get to that same mill rate that's still a projection so you really won't know until they Comm has done the evaluation done so they still can move little bit here and there so you know it's but based on what we have on paper that's that's our our best um projection projection for to get that at

same zero mil rate we have to add 28 475 which is what we raised or what we voted on today which was Jerry's number which Jerry's request and and the uh the was yes and originally ra so that's an additional 60 on top of they they had 60 in the number already

did he had the 60 in it and he also had the 9543 so I come up with we've increased the budget today $138,000 and8 $138,000 28475 is what we jury requested for increases would you didn't get everything asked for close oh okay so instead of the 33875 is getting 475 that's what we voted on today all right plus the extra 20 and the 20, It's actually an extra 60,000 because the select board didn't vote on any of our recommendation changes so looking at the fund balance is actually an extra 60 over what the town manager proposed yeah from what we voted on correct I but the church was already in there for the town manager's budget but not for ours so okay so I'm just if I change I have 20,000 to

9543 J's request 28475 we have 58 580 plus 58 you makes it 638 28475 is what we increased tonight is J requested $60,000 for the $100,000 but but we already had yeah we already had 80 in the five in the 580 for what we recommended the first time right last week last week we recommended $58,000 starting last week that we're going to we're doing a new vote we don't count starting at the Town manager 500,000 what is the budget committee adding and

138 okay so you're you're confident in that number I trust you Neil so I'm just verifying you're confident in that we originally presented with right you're increasing that transfer by 138,000 to keep in Hope Theory wait minute wait a minute wait minut the mill rate

union church out of that right well we did originally because the but the 500,000 already covered that church correct so it's really just 28,000 we did today and the $100,000 for I'm not following $500,000 is what the initial

we did we didn't we do a we did a vote but the two numbers they're not they're not connected okay all we're really dealing with is what we want to transfer to keep the budget down okay play with the numbers make whatever they want we're just making a recommendation right right so I wish it could be more verbage to say we recation that our tax

rate I 500,000 is what we started with yeah then I have a number of 28,45 which we raised tonight increased tonight all right then I have 160,000 for the rebu $100,000 ra cuz we had we had originally 60 right 60,000 was from last

meeting the 100,000 is in this number this is 60,000 from the last and the 60,000 was already in the 500,000 so so what's what's the number for the r total number raising is 16,000 160,000 and then there was the fourth number

500,000 plus 28475 plus 160,000 that's that's the total that we're whatever we want they can make whatever they want um you got a recommendation 628 475 okay should cover should cover your 628 47 CU you had 580 right then you then you voted

yeah you can you can so what you guys did was on these uh budget estimates you accept it you increased it 2,475 compared to what the select board had which was 38,8 75 you went to 37 375,000 for solid waste you did not accept the we know

yeah and so then on top of that extra 20,000 to that 28475 bringing what you added up to um that you had already budgeted which is different than our number because we just haven't added in the assessment because we were not going to vote on that knowing that we're getting that again so you should add that

48475 the 580 to square the ccle I make a motion that we use out of the fund balance the 2024 budget can you remind me again what the general fund budget balance currently page should be on the last page is that what you said thank you where you see that page 15 Top Line

but what I have is a 10.4% increase of the last year's budget actual right but that's based on actual numbers that Jerry gave the school accounting to 5% over last year most last year that's with the school yeah I did increase those I just did it from my interest all right but the municipal budget itself went up by how much based on what we I think we had about

6. I just want to make sure we're talking 6.5% with our budget for for this budget right the budget we I I just don't I just don't want people I think the municipal budget's around sheet you have 4.29% for the municipal budget

separately they have they have total funding for under the budget summary total funding sources the percentage I guess my point is the percentage is I I get what you're saying together but we don't know some of those numbers I agree with you that probably 5% probably a good number to use but the only thing of saving us from not killing the taxpayers is transferring these F yeah this this is not a skinny budget is my point this is a very healthy budget it is it is it we have a spending problem in this country in this town and the state we're doing it we're doing it right now we're spending a lot of money there's no restraint whatsoever I can say but does does your numbers include the money we've transferred we're not spending this year is that's the going of reserve the transfers have nothing to do with it what we're at the budget what what it is but we're transferring money $25,000 for public works I'm just

talking about what we're we'll spend it later but we're just putting it into we're still spending it we're spending it 10% I guess what what John's asking is does that include the amount of money that we put into Capital reserves that the capital reserves comes out of that number to reduce the mill rate to reduce the increase not the capital transfer Right comes out of that number but your 10% does that include the capital reserves transfers no the oh yes yeah the spending okay because I

think that's in my mind is a little misleading because we have on average train been raising money to put into Capital reserves every year and this year we're not raising any money to do it we're just moving from one savings account to another savings account um with the hopes that by doing it this way we don't need to raise it down the road I think he understands that but what he's saying is we're still utilizing those funds at some point we're not be able to do trans we're not yeah age with that but I think

it's misleading whatever the right term is to say we're putting we're not spending it this year to me that's that's not spent that's just moved from you know my Fort S savings account but if we didn't have the cushion we had we'd be raising in taxes I don't think we'd be even transferring that amount conversation of putting that much into capital reserve wouldn't have even been a discussion no no we're in a good position I'm not complaining I'm the fact we're spending a lot of money yeah I just argue that we're not spending it for transferring it from one saing to another that's my argument we spend soon or later yes I I

don't hopefully it saves us later because we've saved it now is there any more discussion on the motion what motion we have a motion on the floor to use 6284 75 from the fund balance to offset tax for our budget to offset taxes [Music] do you have a we should

yeah I know that but but it's just a number doesn't have to be 628 do you have one you the number that the budget committee is recommending to the select board and then we'll have to consider it tomorrow night based on if we agree your numbers then that is the number right if we change it then it'll be a different number so that's the thing I mean you give us you can give us more money to work with you like I think that's the thing that's hard over instead of saying we're going to transfer and raise for each warrant amount by saying a lump sum at the end it's it's a shuttle game or

whatever you want to call it because that unless you can magically change the warrant number on the floor which it's hard it's we have had a hard enough time following it I don't we'll be able to follow it at town but Mr chair I just like to say that so the individual items is what we'll all vote on and at the end of that there's going to be a number that we're going to make a recommendation to transfer over to cover the various items

so whatever that number turns out to be will be you know the addition of these other it to keep the municipal tax rate flat exactly and that's how that will be worded right those will be separate separate items so I I think you calculating out this having this number here that was calculated out is is probably a good number Tove forward with and then what we put in the article will be the actual number that um once the all the all the dust settles on what we decide tomorrow night any further discussion so the uh motion up for a

vote is to transfer all right all those in favor all those opposed so s to one Mr chairman yes I have a question for Jerry what happened to uh unassigned and assigned funds we don't seem to be seeing those in place now so that that's your fund balance remember when Mark came in here said doing very well so general fund is now assigned and unassigned yes we're not going to use assigned and unassigned anymore know he pulls all the capital out so it's really one F just as he explained in that meeting he didn't explain that you said you said talk about ass un assign funds and at the end of the year the the assign fund goes back into the UN

curious we're not using assigned funds you're not assign funds anymore that's the fund balance he grouped them into the same if you look at page have general fund which is the unassigned and then you have total restricted total committed which is the assigned no no no no no it's not you have restrict and committed funds was to there specifically the general fund is now combined signed and unsigned but that still doesn't reach the 3.7 so I can't help you with this hand out line one's

are you looking at the handout that the town manager gave us for tonight's meeting or are you looking at a different handout line one is 3.7 general fund which used to be the unassigned or whatever you want to call it and everything below that from AR the

fund down to Union Church is resered they were different so yeah so definition so I think what used to be the UN assigned money was line 02 down the line 79 no no no it's not he's telling you what those are the total restricted fund is 02 to0 09 that's the restricted fund yes the committed fund is 70 to 79 which that was our assigned funds that's what used to beign funds if you if you look at the aage report there's four funds listed committed and restricted assign another I'm just this I'm not complaining I'm just asking a question what happened toide the other side the committed restricted finds is separate from assign assign right yes correct so what happened to assign assign I'll ask you right it's right there in the fun balance M I don't see a fund balance I see general fund general fund well all right well that was previously un assigned no the general f if you look at the other report the general fund has four

accounts in a sign I'm saying the general fund is now combined assigned and both assigned and uned One Fund here I'm just wondering why and Jerry answer assigned funds that means they've already been signed for some purpose they don't get assign till the budget is passed that's I understanding perhaps it's a from an accounting perspective they don't get assign from budget Neil you don't have a budget in place perhaps this is a question you can email to Jerry and can get the answer from Mark that's probably the easiest way to do it Mark knows how we put this

Jerry that you see that this committee need to meet another time um once the select board um gets to their final if they're any different typically in the past what this what we present to you would be our numbers and if you if the select board chose different numbers and that's how it' be presented on the war right right okay but you don't want another chance to make them the same no okay why do we need to I mean sometimes we do some years we do and there are other years we don't that's up to you folks oh it's up it's up to to the select Bo agree with the budget [Laughter]

second all in favor thank you everybody that's great commission please turn your mics off and put them on that table over there you have to hold it down