Category: Budget Committee

Election Results March 13, 2018

Max LedouxAuthor Max LedouxPosted on Categories Board of Selectmen, Budget Committee, Library Trustees, Town GovernmentTags 1 Comment on Election Results March 13, 2018

Board of Selectmen

  • ✅ Lloyd Wood: 295
  • Robert “Bob” McWhirter: 248

Budget Committee

  • ✅ Thomas J. Young: 289
  • ✅ Helen Hartshorn: 278
  • Chris Sawyer: 233
  • Barry Ennis: 196

Moderator

  • ✅ Daniel F. Barnard: 498

Trustee of the Trust Funds

  • ✅ Dave M. Braun: 466
  • Write-in Votes: 4

Cemetery Trustee

  • ✅ Susan H. Weeks: 412
  • Write-in Votes: 17

Library Trustee

  • ✅ Gordon Hunt: 461
  • Skip Hurt (Write-In): 28
  • Total Write-ins: 41
  • Fictitious Characters: 2
  • Undervotes: 59

Supervisor of the Checklist

  • ✅ William “Bill” Rollins: 495
  • Write-in Votes: 8
  • Undervotes: 60

 Zoning Change

  • ✅Yes: 410
  • No: 133

 

These numbers are accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Barry Ennis for Budget Committee

Author Barry EnnisPosted on Categories Budget CommitteeTags 1 Comment on Barry Ennis for Budget Committee

I’ve been concerned for years about the amount of revenue that the town needs to generate to have the best of everything. We’re a small town; we don’t really need to have the best of everything. And I think we could sharpen our pencils and cut down on a lot of the things that we have — that people seem to think we need, but we don’t really need them. I think we should just get by on what we have — your basic needs, not your wants — and live without frills.

I’ve been asked by a lot of people to run for office because they think I may have some input on that. So I figure it’s finally time that I give that a shot and get involved in the town government a little more than just being an outspoken critic of it most of the time. I’ve been a self-employed businessman for 35 years. Prior to that, I was a school teacher, and worked on school budgets. I have a Bachelor’s degree in social science (which has something to do with government). And I’ve always managed my own budget over these years, being self-employed.
Continue reading “Barry Ennis for Budget Committee”

Impossible to Cut Spending?

Author mollyPosted on Categories Budget CommitteeTags 5 Comments on Impossible to Cut Spending?

Helen Hartshorn is running for reelection to the Budget Committee. At last week’s Candidates’ Night, she said:

A couple of years ago, we did talk on the Budget Committee . . . about keeping the spending flat, and it just didn’t work, because with inflation, with salary increases… Then there was also the salary consultation that was done. It just didn’t work to keep these things flat. And I just don’t think that’s a realistic approach to it.

Tyler Philips, a former member of the budget committee, asked: “Are you committed to controlling those costs that are controllable?” Many costs are not within the control of the town, given that “we get more and more costs pushed at us from Concord,” he noted. “But would you be agreeable to keeping a cap on controllable costs?”

I added to his question, by asking: “What are the controllable costs?”

Helen replied: “That’s just too broad a question.”

I tried again: “Can you name an area in which we do have controllable costs where you would be willing to make them level?”

Helen: “I will work to keep things as reasonable as possible, and that’s about all I can pledge you.”

I emailed Helen today to ask her again, “What are the controllable costs, the areas where the town can keep spending level or even reduce spending?”

If she replies and gives me permission to post her words, I will share them with you.

Budget Information (2018)

Max LedouxAuthor Max LedouxPosted on Categories Budget Committee, Financial DocumentsTags , 5 Comments on Budget Information (2018)

The selectmen proposed an operating budget of $3,742,305.24. The budget committee proposed $3,742,055.24. The budget committee’s proposed budget is what will be voted on at Town Meeting on March 14, at 7:30PM.

The following documents may help you assess the proposed budget:

In addition, you may find the Planning Board’s Master Survey quite useful. The survey was sent to 2,133 households, and 1,076 were returned. The results are here: Master Plan Survey.

Here are a few charts from the survey:

Public Hearing on the Budget (2018)

The committee had a “pre-meeting” at 6PM for about ten minutes, then suspended until 6:30 for the public meeting. Discussion of the operating budget begins at 10:37 in the video. Discussion of budgetary warrant articles begins at 57:10.