Present: J. Sapia, Chairman; P. Sullivan; F. Childs
7:30 PM – Chairman J. Sapia opened the Regular Meeting of the Atkinson Board of Selectmen, and asked for a moment of silence to remember our troops who are in harm’s way.
Correspondence:
Minutes:
P. Sullivan made the motion to accept the minutes of the Non-Public Meeting of the Board of Selectmen on Monday, October 22, 2007, as submitted. F. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.
F. Childs made the motion to accept the minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Board of Selectmen on Monday, October 29, 2007, at 7:30 PM, as submitted. P. Sullivan seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.
P. Sullivan made the motion to accept the minutes of the Non-Public Meeting of the Board of Selectmen on Monday, October 29, 2007, at 9:20 PM, as submitted. F. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.
Planning Board:
Chairman J. Sapia reported to the Board that a review of the outstanding Road Bonds prompted a discussion of the Town’s bonding procedures, which have not been evaluated in many years. He suggested that the Board meet in a workshop session, rather than during a Regular Meeting to take as much time as necessary for a thorough assessment. P. Sullivan asked who would be attending the workshop and Chairman Sapia said that it would be an Open Meeting as only the procedures would be discussed, not any particular situation. He added that Planning Board Chairman S. Killam and the other members of the Planning Board would be encouraged to attend, and that, once the Selectmen have finished their due diligence, the document would then be sent to Town Counsel for his opinion.
P. Sullivan made a motion to meet on Tuesday, November 13, 2007, at 9:00 AM at the Town Hall for a workshop session to review the Town’s bonding procedures. F. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.
Budget Review:
Town Clerk
Proposed 2008 Budget #41401
.110 Town Clerk’s Assistants $60,713 -6.72%
.130 Town Clerk 54,000 +0.86%
.210 Health Insurance 21,451 +7.00% .220 FICA 7,112 -3.30%
.225 Medicare 1,663 -3.30%
.230 NH Retirement 7,947 +15.80%
.341 Telephone 3,300 n/c
.355 Microfilm 75 n/c
.390 Other Professional Services 1,000 n/c
J. Sapia asked what types of things would be considered Other Professional Services. L. Jette replied that this was for unanticipated repairs requiring outside expertise, noting that, while the same amount was budgeted for 2007, none of it was spent. In addition, there was no money budgeted for the scanning project as Town Administrator R. McAllister was formulating a Warrant Article to cover this project.
.430 Equipment Repairs 500 n/c
.440 Service Contracts 5,173 +442.81%
.560 Dues/Subscriptions/Memberships 175 -12.50%
L. Jette noted that the annual subscription to "Red Book" (reference for motor vehicle registrations) was moved to Service Contracts (.440).
.620 Office Supplies 3,000 +7.14%
.625 Postage 4,350 +3.57%
L. Jette said the increase in the Postage (.625) was due to mailing out absentee ballots for 5 elections.
.740 New Equipment 500 n/c
.820 Mileage 904 -39.75%
.850 Education/Conferences 1,500 -25.00%
P. Sullivan asked what people got out of going to all of the conferences. L. Jette responded that all office staff goes to the spring workshops to learn the changes in NH laws and/or procedures. Also, since Deputy Town Clerk R. Cavalear is now a Certified Municipal Agent, she should go to the New England Conference.
Total Town Clerk’s proposed 2008 budget (41401):
$173,364 +1.00%.
P. Sullivan asked L. Jette if she could estimate the percentage of people using E-REG v. mail v. coming into the office. L. Jette estimated that 25% of registrants used E-REG, 56% used the mail and the other 19% came into the office.
P. Sullivan made the motion to take the proposed 2008 Operating Budget for the Town Clerk, in the amount of $173,364, under advisement. F. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.
L. Jette indicated that she worked many extra hours during the summer because the Town Clerk’s Assistant wasn’t appointed until August 20. She said she had used up all of her Vacation time, Sick Leave and Personal Leave, and her weekly salary was now being "docked" for time out of work. She wants to use the compensatory time she had accrued during the summer. P. Sullivan responded that the Time Sheets from the Town Clerk’s Office all reflected the same hours each week, with no indication of extra hours worked, late arrivals or absences. J. Sapia said he would talk with Town Administrator R. McAllister, and that this would be discussed with the Selectmen further in a non-public session, as is traditional in personnel matters.
General Government Buildings
Maintenance Supervisor D. Weymouth said he would only touch upon the changes in these budgets and all other items should remain the same.
Town Hall (41941):
.110 Maintenance Supervisor $16,068 -38.78%
This is the new Supervisor’s rate plus 3% Cost-of-Living Adjustment.
.210 Health Insurance -0- -100.00%
.220 FICA 997 -38.72%
.225 Medicare 233 -38.85%
.410 Electricity 13,200 +20.00%
.411 Heat 2,000 -16.67%
Heating oil was cut only minimally ($400) because of the escalating cost of #2 heating oil.
.430 General Maintenance 4,900 -86.14%
With the new geo-thermal well, the heat pump is fully functional and not anticipated to require as extensive repairs as in the past.
The Town Hall needs the roof replaced for an estimated cost of $33,500. The ideal time to do this would be when the addition is being put into place. At that time the back roof will be part of the construction project, and the rest could be done under General Maintenance line (.430). The roof needs to be done in either event.
Town Garage (41942):
.430 General Maintenance $5,590 +698.75%
D. Weymouth explained that water coming off of the roof facing the parking lot has rotted the bottom three panels of the overhead door and rusted the hardware. It was recommended that the whole door be replaced, and that gutters should be installed along that end of the building. Also, the rain coming off of the back of the salt shed has deteriorated the wall, to the point that water is now running into the building. It is recommended that a gutter be put across the back and the wall repaired to prevent the salt from washing into the parking lot and beyond.
Police Station (41943):
.430 General Maintenance $2,748 +129.0%
In an ongoing attempt to stem the water leaking into the building, the water draining onto the flat roof needs to be diverted with gutters.
J. Sapia asked D. Weymouth to get the total number of linear feet of gutter required to Town Administrator R. McAllister to prepare a document to go out to bid for all of the gutter work.
Fire Station (41944):
.430 General Maintenance $3,090 +157.5%
D. Weymouth said two of the door closers need to be replaced, and he would like to pressure-wash the outside of the building.
Library (41945):
The maintenance budget for the Library was prorated until the end of August 2008, in anticipation of completion of the New Library.
Kimball House (41946):
.430 General Maintenance $3,800 -82.14%
This has been reduced significantly, because of the work to be done to the Kimball House as part of the new Library project
Woodlock Park (41947):
.430.00 General Maintenance $2,000 +81.82%
The bathrooms will need new faucets in the spring as a result of the extensive damage sustained during the summer. D. Weymouth added that the bathrooms were scheduled to be winterized and locked on Wednesday, November 14, 2007.
Hearse House (41947):
.430.01 General Maintenance $600 N/C
In the course of replacing the front sill, it was determined that the remaining sills and door were damaged and would require attention.
Community Center (4194):
.430 General Maintenance $3,810 +42.0%
D. Weymouth said he would like to pressure wash the building next year.
Family Mediation (41949):
D. Weymouth indicated that Family Mediation has paid for the repairs to the bathroom in appreciation for the use of the building.
Conservation Building on East Road (41950):
The roof and the door will need some work next year however there was no point to making significant improvements until the Conservation Commission decided what to do with the building. F. Childs noted that the building seemed structurally sound and D. Weymouth agreed.
Total proposed 2008 Operating Budget for General Government Buildings $75,956 -41.8%.
P. Sullivan made a motion to take $75,956 under advisement for the proposed 2008 General Government Buildings operating budget. F. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.
D. Weymouth cautioned that, should the addition to Town Hall not be on the Warrant for 2008, $33,500 for repairing the roof would need to be included in this budget. Also, Fire Chief M. Murphy has said that, when an addition to Town Hall is built, the sprinkler system for the entire building must be upgraded.
P. Sullivan and D. Weymouth reminded residents that the 61st annual Turkey Raffle will be held on Saturday, November 10, 2007, at 7 PM in the Atkinson Fire Station. Because the Library parking lot is torn up for construction of the new Library, a shuttle bus will be running constantly from the Atkinson Academy parking lot, and door (bus?) prizes will be drawn for those riding the bus.
Library
Library Director K. McDonough announced that there would be a program about UFOs at the Library on Thursday, November 8 at 7 PM. She also said that the staff and Trustees believed that circulation would be down considerably during construction of the new Library, because of poor access to the building. They were all pleasantly surprised that October was the busiest ever.
Library Administration:
.110.01 Library Director $52,890 +1.56%
.110.02 Children’s Librarian $33,833 +1.06%
.110.03 Aides $111,993 +7.49%
Health Insurance, FICA, Medicare and NH Retirement are based upon the new rates of pay.
P. Sullivan asked what the hourly rate was for the aides and the distribution within that range. K. McDonough replied that one area library did a survey of area libraries and determined the salary range for aides is $11.49 to $15.17 per hour. By giving an increase (including 3% COLA), Atkinson would have a range from $11.03 to $15.56 per hour. Instead of the 5% or COLA, K. McDonough is
recommending $1.00 per hour increase for one aide, and $1.39 for another, as a merit increase. Of Atkinson’s 9 Library Aides, one person was at the lowest end of the scale, 3 others were close to the bottom. Also, 4 people were entitled to a 1.2% longevity increase in addition to the other raises. F. Childs asked if the longevity raise was given on an employee’s anniversary date. K. McDonough said that it was, and there would be 2 in January, 1 in February and hers in August.
.120 Custodian $1,800 N/C
This will change pending the awarding of the Town Cleaning Bid.
.341 Telephone $2,000 -20.0%
On the advice of Budget Committee Chairman J. Blackadar, K. McDonough said she has level-funded the utilities.
J. Sapia asked if the Trustees had considered that they might be paying for 2 utility bills for a couple of months. K. McDonough said that had been considered which was why the figure was the same as the full year of 2007.
.610 Library Supplies $4,500 +12.5%
The additional money is being requested because of the increasing cost of supplies and additional supplies that may be needed for the new building.
.625 Postage $450 -10.00%
.670 Materials of Trade $30,000 N/C
J. Sapia asked what items were included in this line. K. McDonough replied that there were books, DVDs, audio books, etc. and noted that the DVDs were purchased with the money from fines. She added that over 50% of adult circulation is audio/video (a/v) material (DVDs, audio books, etc.). J. Sapia asked if there was labor associated with a/v materials, and K. McDonough replied that there was labor associated with all a/v functions. J. Sapia suggested that there may some room to cut in this line item. He said that, through the end of September, $30,974 has been spent out of this line. Over three years he estimated that over $100,000 has been spent for these materials.
K. McDonough replied that there is no programming in their operating budget. She said that the Friends of the Library provide the funding for the museum passes and programs.
.850 Education &
Conferences $2,500 +66.67%
As of September 30, this line item was over-expended by about $500, therefore it seems prudent to increase the budgeted amount for 2008.
Library Miscellaneous (45502):
.390 Other Professional
Services $9,111 +19.33%
J. Sapia asked what was included in Other Professional Services. K. McDonough answered that, among other things, outside technical support such as Circulation System’s Maintenance, Domain fee, Internet access and site hosting would come out of that line.
.640 Custodial Supplies $400 -25.00%
Fewer supplies than anticipated were needed in 2007.
.730 Computer Software $3,285 -8.75%
Most of the existing software will go to the new building.
.740 Computer Hardware $650 -81.32%
Most of the additional hardware for the new library is included in the Furniture line item of the Library Building Project.
.810 Water $500 N/C
Total proposed 2008 Operating Budget for the Library
$313,906 +3.89%.
F. Childs made the motion to accept the sum of $313,906 for preliminary consideration for the proposed 2008 Library Operating Budget. P. Sullivan seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously and was so moved.
Other Business
Clerk of the Works:
Library Trustees’ Chairman H. Galloway reviewed a proposed Memorandum of Understanding between the Library Trustees and the Town of Atkinson. The Trustees would like to engage Maintenance Supervisor D. Weymouth to serve as the Clerk of the Works for the new Library construction from November 1, 2007 through September 1, 2008. She put forward the following on behalf of the Trustees:
The rate of pay will be the same as that of the Maintenance Supervisor
(currently $15.00/hour) for 5 to 8 hours per week.
F. Childs asked what the Trustees expected the Clerk of the Works to do in 5 to 8 hours per week. H. Galloway replied that he should make sure that the workmen remain on task and are following the architectural drawings. She added that this position would help familiarize the Maintenance Director with the new Library’s infrastructure. K. McDonough said Architect R. Lamarre would show the Clerk of the Works what to look for.
J. Sapia said that it would take no less than 20 hours per week to properly represent the Town’s interest. P. Sullivan added that this position should be a minimum of 2 hours per day, and more during critical phases of construction. H. Galloway said that there were $20,000 designated for the Clerk of the Works, however the Turner Group, Concord, NH, were hired to perform inspections, the fees for which will come out of this money as well. She added that she would discuss additional hours for the Clerk of the Works with the other Library Trustees at their meeting on Wednesday, November 7.
Weekly Time Sheets will be given to the Library Director by the close of business on Mondays, so that the Library Director may forward them to the Bookkeeper on Tuesdays.
The Clerk of the Works will take direction from: the Architect; the Chairman of the Library Trustees; and the Library Director.
Open Cleaning Bids:
Atkinson Cleaning Service (603) 244-2243
6 Riverview Manor Vincent Garofalo
Raymond, NH 03077
Monthly Quarterly Annually
(November – March) $990 $4,950
(April – October) $1,065 $7,455
Strip & Refinish VCT $800 [$2,600] sic
New Library
(Sept – Dec) $285 $1,140
TOTAL $16,145.
Jani-King of Boston, Inc. (781) 229-5655
6 Lincoln Knoll Lane Suite 104 Roger Dwinell
Burlington, MA 01803 cell (603) 233-8967 Ext. 119
All weekly $1,875 $22,500
This figure includes the Police Station at $100 per week as needed, estimated 4 times per month. Woodlock Park restrooms specified 2 times per week from April through October. Once cleaning per week has been included in this bid.
TOTAL $22,500
Plus: Shampoo Carpets @$.15 per square foot ($150 minimum)
Strip, Reseal & Refinish Tile
@$.22 per square foot ($200 minimum)
Windows: Interior @$.10 per square foot
Exterior @$.10 per square foot.
The Selectmen will forward these bids to Town Administrator R. McAllister and Maintenance Supervisor D. Weymouth for their recommendations.
Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA):
P. Sullivan reviewed the material provided and said it didn’t fit Atkinson’s profile. He went on to explain that the 2008 COLA for those who receive Social Security is 2.3%, adding that there are many property owners in town who are solely dependent on SSI income and have been losing ground for the past several years with escalating cost of goods and taxes. He also provided figures for the 2007 New England CPI through September 2007, pointing out that 2.6% in March was the highest increase; 1.8% in August, the lowest; and, 2.4% in September.
P. Sullivan made a motion to grant Atkinson Town employees a 2.5% COLA raise for 2008. F. Childs seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.
J. Sapia stated that frequently Department Heads propose merit raises for all of their employees. This, he said, was inappropriate. Merit raises are for employees who perform above and beyond what is required for any given position. Those who perform their assigned duties proficiently are kept abreast of inflation with the annual COLA raise. He added that, in case of a promotion, the salary should be adjusted to be commensurate with the new position.
E-911 Liaison Appointment:
Town Administrator R. McAllister had suggested that either Planning Assistant S. Galvin or Administrative Assistant B. Snicer fill this position. The Selectmen decided to defer this discussion until the Town Administrator was present.
Deliberative Session:
J. Sapia indicated that he had spoken with both the Budget Committee and the Timberlane School Board concerning potentially conflicting dates for Deliberative Session. February 2, 2007 seemed to fit all of the schedules best. F. Childs asked if Atkinson would have a "snow date". J. Sapia said that the Deliberative Session could be continued to another date, if necessary, at the time.
F. Childs made the motion to hold the 2008 Deliberative Session on Saturday, February 2, 2008, at 10:00 AM at the Dyke Auditorium of the Atkinson Academy. P. Sullivan seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously and was so moved.
J. Sapia will ask Town Administrator R. McAllister to set up the details with the Academy and cable.
Personnel Policy – Longevity Pay:
The Selectmen agreed to defer this discussion until the Town Administrator could be present.
2007 Tax Rate:
J. Sapia noted that the NH Department of Revenue Auditor, J. Samms, will meet with the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, November 6 at 1 PM, to review the final figures for setting the 2007 tax rate. P. Sullivan expressed his disappointment that he had not received a copy of all of the supporting documents for review in advance.
New Business
J. Sapia presented a rough draft of a Project Proposal Worksheet to the other two Selectmen for their review and future discussion.
J. Sapia made the motion to go into Non-Public Session at 8:55 PM to discuss employee issues. P. Sullivan seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous and so moved.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Snicer
Administrative Assistant
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Jack Sapia, Chairman
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Paul Sullivan
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Fred J. Childs, Jr