Town of Atkinson

Budget Committee Meeting Minutes

September 11, 2007

Jim called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM. The first order of business was to review the minutes from the May 8, 2007 meeting.

Next order of business was to review the July 19, 2007 letter received from the Department of Revenue Administration. Dave pointed out that several of the items of concerned identified by DRA were correct. However several items were not correct. The Board agreed that the instructions are vague and that for this coming budget season we will have a separate meeting dedicated to the preparation of the MS-7 so that all members will have input and an understanding as to how the numbers are derived.

Next, the Board reviewed RSA Chapter 32 "Municipal Budget Law". All members were provided a copy. Jim stated that he wanted the Board to all be on the same page as to what our duties are. It was determined that the Board is responsible for setting the budget for the coming year (32:16). We are the only ones who can establish line item in the budget and fund that line item (if the Board establishes a zero balance for a line item, no expenditures can be booked to that account 32:8). In addition the Board can request support to any expenditure incurred during the year in any detail the Board may require (32:22). Other matters discussed and agreed to by the Board is that a meeting must have 4 members to have a Quorum. Any and all votes made by a quorum of the Board to pass must have a majority of the voting quorum. Lastly, we must either recommend or not recommend all Warrant Articles involving the appropriation of funds.

Jim had mentioned to the Board that he would like to establish a permanent file for the committee to contain such items as RSA Chapter 32, state pamphlets, departments capital plans, welcome package and anything else deemed useful for the Board from year to year.

The Board reviewed the current expenditure through August 31, 2007 and did not note anything out of the ordinary. Fred T requested Fred C to discuss how the money in the detail revolving account is being used to pay for the cruiser leases with the bookkeeper and report back to the Board at the next meeting.

Fred T updated the Board on the status of the Tower Committee. Fred stated that this was one of the best-run committees he has sat on. They have recommended CDCG to perform the study to the Selectmen and have established a timeline, which will enable them to prepare a warrant article for the 2008 deliberative session outlining the recommendations.

Jim encouraged the Board to contact their liaisons and inform them that we are really looking for a needs based budget this year. He also stated that he’d like to see all the budgets presented by the end of November.

Fred C informed the Board that the bookkeeper has requested that we establish a contingency line in the budget this year ($10,000) within the Selectmen’s budget to handle emergencies.

The Board established the next meeting to be October 2, 2007.

Respectively submitted,

kjb

Enclosure

Agenda

Liaison Assignments

Budget Committee Meeting

September 11, 2007

7:00 PM – Town Hall

Library

Fire

Hospitals/Ambulance

Homeland Security

Town Clerk

Elections & Registration

Moderator

Planning & Zoning

Building Inspectors

Highway

Recycling

Waste Disposal

Conservation

Police

Elderly Affairs

Cemetery

Legal

Other Insurance

Advertising

Street Lighting

General Assistance

Long term Debt (Principal & Int.)

Executive

Financial Admin

Personnel Admin

Computers

Health Dues

Health

General Government Buildings

Animal Control

Recreation

Community Center

Cable TV

Memorial Day