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Town of Littleton

Town Office Hours:
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8 am - 4 pm
Closed 12:30 - 1:00

125 Main Street, Suite 200
Littleton, NH 03561
Phone: 603.444.3996
Fax: 603.444.1703

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2010 Meeting Minutes and Agendas

Board of Selectmen

View Meeting Minutes for: | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 |

Approved Minutes Jan 5, 2010

TOWN OF LITTLETON
BOARD OF SELECTMEN’S MEETING
TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2010
1:30 PM
TOWN OFFICE CONFERENCE ROOM

Present: Town Manager Chuck Connell, Chairman Eddy Moore, Vice Chairman Ed Boynton, Selectman Ron Bolt, Executive Secretary Ceil Stubbings
Others Present: Robert Blechl, Paul Smith
Chairman Moore called the meeting to order at 1:30 PM
Town Manager Chuck Connell asked for a brief recess to talk with town council. Ed Boynton made the motion to go into recess at 1:31 PM. Ron Bolt second. Motion passed 3-0.
The board returned from recess at 2:10 PM
Ron Bolt said that since he has been away things have happened with the budget. Ron advised the other selectmen that this would give them an opportunity to ask questions before we meet with the budget committee. Connell said that with the latest changes made we are now sitting at a total tax rate $21.29, which is .23 higher than the 2009 tax rate. Connell said that was before we got word the school anticipates a decline of $1.10 per thousand in their tax rate, which would then net out about an .86 cents decrease overall. The tax rate would then go from $21.29 to $20.20. Connell said the other thing he understands is that while they have realigned some positions they have done no layoffs the result in the reductions were recommended by the superintendent and the staff. Connell said one of the things the selectmen said on the 28th was let’s wait and see before we go off in any radical directions. Connell stressed that these are very soft numbers and they could change. Connell said that right now everything seems favorable. Eddy Moore said there was talk about the school going back and opening up the contracts. Connell said the numbers he just quoted are without that and it would hinge on if their unions agree to it. As a whole we are still in pretty good shape. That leaves the state, education and county tax frozen. Connell said he does not feel we have any idea what will happen with those two tax rates. Karen Noyes summarized the latest changes that she had made to the budget. Karen said that after the last budget meeting she and Ed Haines were working on different numbers on wage and benefits. Karen said that Ed picked up it looked like a drop in heath insurance for the police department; she had missed one person’s plan. The other item corrected was a highway employee. Karen said she had to make sure she included it in the highway under the default budget. In addition Karen said she had missed someone changing from a single plan to a family plan. Karen stated that she had also entered the wrong number for the year to date expended. Ron Bolt said that he had noticed that the proposed budget is less than the default. Karen said yes. Bolt said that was interesting and confusing. Bolt said that it seems the school has met the goals of the budget committee. Bolt said they knew going in the challenge would be for the town. Eddy Moore said he defended the $200,000 that we have in here and did so again at the very end of the meeting. Eddy said he mentioned doing away with the roads or the layoff of five people. Bolt said he did watch the meeting on Channel 2 and the only thing he would be concerned about was there was some discussion by the committee that they felt the town was over staffed. Bolt asked Moore and Boynton what they thought. Moore said we have 49 employees and he does not feel we are over staffed. Moore said there was some talk about a change in the fire department. Moore said that would be 10% of our work force. Bolt reminded the other selectmen of the five things they could do in the future. They talked about how they would come up with the definition of an acceptable level of service. Bolt said they would put some parameters on this and make it a goal for this next year. Connell asked Bolt when you say we who is we. Bolt said he meant the selectmen and the department heads. Moore said it should be an ongoing process. Connell said the budget committee needs to buy into the theory. Bolt said another thing they discussed is they would agree to look for additional revenues. Connell asked Bolt if he was talking fees for service. Bolt said he would look to the Town Manager and the department heads. Moore said there was a statement made by a previous town manager, Don Jutton if you don’t want to pay for something by taxes then pays for it by fees. Bolt told Connell that this is more for him. Bolt said they would look at the budget presentation and move some of the categories around before the next budget cycle. Bolt said they would also review staffing per the budget committees meeting. Connell asked Bolt what does that mean. Bolt said they would pledge this year to examine the organization of town employees and look for efficiencies. Bolt said they would make a good faith effort for reorganization. Connell said he does not want it to come back to revisit the number of people who work for the town. Bolt said they would look for ways to share services and share expenses with the school and with other towns. Bolt said he thought they could suggest those things to the budget committee. Connell said he does not see how you can do this without several public hearings. Connell said what he heard is that the selectmen will take this on. Connell told the selectmen if this is your budget and you are willing to support it they were ready to vote on it. Ed Boynton said he does not think the few changes will make a difference in whether they want to support us or not. Connell recommended they go into a non-public session at 2:30 PM. Ed Boynton made the motion to go into non-public session per RSA 91-A:3 (e) and RSA 91-A:3 (a). Bolt seconded the motion. Passed 3-0. The Board came out of non-public session at 2:51 PM. Ed Boynton made the motion to permanently seal the minutes. Bolt seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0. Boynton made the motion to adjourn. Bolt seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 2:51 PM.
Respectfully submitted
Ceil Stubbings

Littleton has functioned as a Board of Selectmen/Town Manager form of government since 1976.

The Littleton Board of Selectmen meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 4:00 PM at the Littleton Community House - Heald Room.

If you would like to be put on the agenda for an upcoming Selectmen's meeting, please contact Ceil Stubbings. Please be prepared with all information needed for the Selectmen to make a decision no later than the Friday before the Selectmen's meeting

Members

Ronald J. Bolt, Chairman
Edward C. Boynton, Vice Chairman
Marghie M. Seymour, Selectman

Selectmen's Email: selectmen@townoflittleton.org

Executive Secretary for the Board of Selectmen:

Ceil Stubbings
cstubbings@townoflittleton.org
125 Main Street
Suite 200
Littleton, NH 03561
603.444.3996 x15
603.444.1703 (fax)

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