ASK YOURSELF! ARE THESE PEOPLE FOR REAL? Pay off frozen sick time? What the Hell is this. We just paid off John Gomarlo over $5,000.00 for frozen comp days. Are we Morgan Stanley Dean Witter or something? You either take them or lose them. Tell the selectmen to stuff this one.
Subject: 2 additional and 1 revisited $..........
1. Warrant Article ARTICLE 8 To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of$18,340.00 to payoff frozen sick time for Town employees? (was$14,500.00) Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 5-0.
2.ARTICLE 14 Are you in favor of raising and appropriating the sum of SixThousand Dollars ($6,000.00) for the support of The Winchester Learning Center, provided that the Winchester Learning Center raises an equal or greater amount from other sources? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 3-0, with 2 abstentions.
3.ARTICLE 15 To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate up to$10,000.00 to reimburse the trust fund for the purchase a new boiler for the Conant Public Library? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 5-0.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
WARRANT ARTICLES APPROVED BY THE BO$
We guess the BO$ thinks Santa is going to be bringing all of us brand new wallets filled with crisp new $100.00 bills. On top of all of the budget increases and raises they've laden the new budget with, now they expect us to fork over more money. We guess they really don't get it ...... These articles will be discussed on January 13th, at the town hall, the public is invited, so be sure to attend and let them know how you feel.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $28,677.00 to be placed in the Capital Reserve Fund established under Article 16 at the 2006 Town Meeting for the purpose of performing the assessing update or revaluation of the real estate in the Town of Winchester scheduled for 2009-2010? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 5-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will raise and appropriate $24,800.00 as the forth of five lease-to-purchase payments for the 2004 International dump truck, plow, and sander package? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 5-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate an amount not to exceed $18,000.00 to be deposited in the Evergreen Expendable General Care Trust Fund established by an affirmative vote by the 1998 Town Meeting as Article 11; the source of these funds to be withdrawn from the surplus generated by the perpetual care funds already established for the care and maintenance of lots within the Evergreen cemetery, and not from taxation. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 5-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $6,000.00 to support the annual Pickle Festival? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 5-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to be placed in the Police Cruiser Capital Reserve Fund established in 2006 at the Town Meeting under Article 14? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000.00 to hire a professional firm to prepare an impact fee schedule? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $14,500.00 to payoff frozen sick time for Town employees? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to establish a Capital Reserve Account under the provisions of RSA 35:1 III for the purpose of future upgrades and/or purchase of the town’s computers and networking system, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to be placed in this fund with the Board of Selectmen being the agent of said fund? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000.00 for promoting commercial and industrial development in the Town, and name the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend said funds? This is to be a non-lapsing account. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $50,000.00 for the purpose of subsidizing youth recreation in the Town to be paid to the E.L.M. Memorial Community Center on a contractual basis? Inserted by Petition. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $40,000.00 for the Town’s share of State road grant reconstruction costs for bridges and place it in the non-lapsing Capital Reserve Fund established at the March 2006 Town Meeting under Article 19 for that purpose? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to authorize the expenditure of payments from the Ambulance Outside Activity Fund for the lease/purchase of a new 2009 ambulance? The cost of the ambulance will be $35,000.00 per year for a term of 5 years. The lease/purchase contract does contain a non-appropriations clause. This expenditure will not come from taxation. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
12 approved Warrants $221,977.00 (not including ambulance-$35,000.00)
... and here's some more they have been discussing..
ARTICLE ..... Shall the Town vote to discontinue Hawkins Road? Hawkins is classified as a V road. It’s really a driveway with one resident, which the Town should not have to maintain. Selectman Whippie makes a motion to recommend this Warrant Article, and notify the owner and abutters. Selectman Berthiaume seconds the motion and it passes 5-0.
ARTICLE ..... Shall the Town vote to discontinue the Class 6 portion of Fullam Pond Road? Fullam Pond is classified as a VI road. The abutter of this location would like to discontinue the umaintained portion because recreational vehicles access his property from Old Chesterfield. The Town would no longer own or maintain this road. Selectman Whippie makes a motion to recommend this Warrant Article, and let the abutter have this portion. Selectman Ruth seconds the motion and it passes 5-0.
ARTICLE ..... Shall the Town vote to adopt the provisions of RSA 36-A:4-a, I(b) to authorize the conservation commission to expend funds for contributions to ‘qualified organizations’ for the purchase of property interests, or facilitating transactions related thereto, where the property interest is to be held by the qualified organization and the Town will retain no interest in the property? Selectman Ruth, Chairman of the Conservation Commission explains that a lot of towns have been donating to outside interests to purchase development rights of properties. The purpose is to preserve open space. The Conservation Commission is authorized to give money for Winchester properties, but not for land outside the town. Members of the Board are concerned with the terms “qualified organizations” and lack of taxation for non-profits, and giving other towns the opportunity to purchase Winchester property. The Board will not place this Article on the Warrant. The Board would like to see if other towns put this on their Warrant, and if it passes. This is a new law effective January 1, 2009.
ARTICLE ..... Shall the Town vote to adopt the provisions of RSA 36-A:4-a, I(a) to authorize the conservation commission to expend funds to purchase interests in land outside the boundaries of our municipality, subject to the approval of the local governing body? The Board feels comfortable with this proposal because the BOS can authorize expenditures, and the Town would acquire interest in the property. Selectman Berthiaume makes a motion to recommend this Warrant Article. Selectman Fraser seconds the motion and it passes 5-0.
ARTICLE..... To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $50,000.00 to be placed in the Fire Department Capital Reserve Fund, for the purpose of purchasing new fire apparatus, as established under Article 21 at the 2005 Annual Meeting? The BOS discussed this last week and agreed not to put on the Warrant. Fire Chief Barry Kellom spoke with Bob Gray and is asking the Board to reconsider. After review, the BOS are still not in favor, and the article is stricken from the Warrant.
ARTICLE ..... To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $30,000.00 to purchase 5 new Scott Air Packs for the Fire Department? The Fire Department has approximately 25 working air packs, but most are older models (1994), which are heavy. The BOS agrees that at some point these packs should be replaced, but the money should come from his budget. The suggestion is made that Barry purchase new air packs (April 2009), based on the funds available at the end of this year. The Board will not place this Article on the
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $28,677.00 to be placed in the Capital Reserve Fund established under Article 16 at the 2006 Town Meeting for the purpose of performing the assessing update or revaluation of the real estate in the Town of Winchester scheduled for 2009-2010? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 5-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will raise and appropriate $24,800.00 as the forth of five lease-to-purchase payments for the 2004 International dump truck, plow, and sander package? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 5-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate an amount not to exceed $18,000.00 to be deposited in the Evergreen Expendable General Care Trust Fund established by an affirmative vote by the 1998 Town Meeting as Article 11; the source of these funds to be withdrawn from the surplus generated by the perpetual care funds already established for the care and maintenance of lots within the Evergreen cemetery, and not from taxation. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 5-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $6,000.00 to support the annual Pickle Festival? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 5-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to be placed in the Police Cruiser Capital Reserve Fund established in 2006 at the Town Meeting under Article 14? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000.00 to hire a professional firm to prepare an impact fee schedule? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $14,500.00 to payoff frozen sick time for Town employees? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to establish a Capital Reserve Account under the provisions of RSA 35:1 III for the purpose of future upgrades and/or purchase of the town’s computers and networking system, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to be placed in this fund with the Board of Selectmen being the agent of said fund? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000.00 for promoting commercial and industrial development in the Town, and name the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend said funds? This is to be a non-lapsing account. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $50,000.00 for the purpose of subsidizing youth recreation in the Town to be paid to the E.L.M. Memorial Community Center on a contractual basis? Inserted by Petition. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $40,000.00 for the Town’s share of State road grant reconstruction costs for bridges and place it in the non-lapsing Capital Reserve Fund established at the March 2006 Town Meeting under Article 19 for that purpose? Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
ARTICLE___ To see if the Town will vote to authorize the expenditure of payments from the Ambulance Outside Activity Fund for the lease/purchase of a new 2009 ambulance? The cost of the ambulance will be $35,000.00 per year for a term of 5 years. The lease/purchase contract does contain a non-appropriations clause. This expenditure will not come from taxation. Recommended by the Board of Selectmen, 4-0.
12 approved Warrants $221,977.00 (not including ambulance-$35,000.00)
... and here's some more they have been discussing..
ARTICLE ..... Shall the Town vote to discontinue Hawkins Road? Hawkins is classified as a V road. It’s really a driveway with one resident, which the Town should not have to maintain. Selectman Whippie makes a motion to recommend this Warrant Article, and notify the owner and abutters. Selectman Berthiaume seconds the motion and it passes 5-0.
ARTICLE ..... Shall the Town vote to discontinue the Class 6 portion of Fullam Pond Road? Fullam Pond is classified as a VI road. The abutter of this location would like to discontinue the umaintained portion because recreational vehicles access his property from Old Chesterfield. The Town would no longer own or maintain this road. Selectman Whippie makes a motion to recommend this Warrant Article, and let the abutter have this portion. Selectman Ruth seconds the motion and it passes 5-0.
ARTICLE ..... Shall the Town vote to adopt the provisions of RSA 36-A:4-a, I(b) to authorize the conservation commission to expend funds for contributions to ‘qualified organizations’ for the purchase of property interests, or facilitating transactions related thereto, where the property interest is to be held by the qualified organization and the Town will retain no interest in the property? Selectman Ruth, Chairman of the Conservation Commission explains that a lot of towns have been donating to outside interests to purchase development rights of properties. The purpose is to preserve open space. The Conservation Commission is authorized to give money for Winchester properties, but not for land outside the town. Members of the Board are concerned with the terms “qualified organizations” and lack of taxation for non-profits, and giving other towns the opportunity to purchase Winchester property. The Board will not place this Article on the Warrant. The Board would like to see if other towns put this on their Warrant, and if it passes. This is a new law effective January 1, 2009.
ARTICLE ..... Shall the Town vote to adopt the provisions of RSA 36-A:4-a, I(a) to authorize the conservation commission to expend funds to purchase interests in land outside the boundaries of our municipality, subject to the approval of the local governing body? The Board feels comfortable with this proposal because the BOS can authorize expenditures, and the Town would acquire interest in the property. Selectman Berthiaume makes a motion to recommend this Warrant Article. Selectman Fraser seconds the motion and it passes 5-0.
ARTICLE..... To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $50,000.00 to be placed in the Fire Department Capital Reserve Fund, for the purpose of purchasing new fire apparatus, as established under Article 21 at the 2005 Annual Meeting? The BOS discussed this last week and agreed not to put on the Warrant. Fire Chief Barry Kellom spoke with Bob Gray and is asking the Board to reconsider. After review, the BOS are still not in favor, and the article is stricken from the Warrant.
ARTICLE ..... To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $30,000.00 to purchase 5 new Scott Air Packs for the Fire Department? The Fire Department has approximately 25 working air packs, but most are older models (1994), which are heavy. The BOS agrees that at some point these packs should be replaced, but the money should come from his budget. The suggestion is made that Barry purchase new air packs (April 2009), based on the funds available at the end of this year. The Board will not place this Article on the
Friday, December 5, 2008
Department Budgets for Fiscal Year 2009 - 2010
We have published 99% of the new budget figures proposed by the Board of Selectmen and approved by the Budget Committee on our main web site. As more information becomes available and verified, we will update the figures. While some departments did see a small decrease, mostly because some bonuses were cut, once again most saw increases, despite the fact that we are in a deep recession and people are losing their jobs, their homes and are struggling just to put food on the table. You can find the new figures by clicking on the "Town Budget" link at the top on the Winchester Informer Home Page. It's a disgrace that our town's elected officials can't find some common sense and some fiscal responsibility and think of those who rely on their prudence.
Money to burn! Pre-buying of town heating oil!
It will cost us all more tax dollars to keep our town employees and the school warm this winter because of a poor judgment call by our selectmen. On Sept. 3rd when the town selectmen chose to except a bid from Barrows Coal Co. of Brattleboro, Vt for 50,000 gals of #2 fuel oil @ $3.919/gal at a cost of $197,125.70 and 1,000 gals of kerosene @ $4.449/gal at a cost of $4449.00, leading economist were predicting a fall in oil prices due to instability of the market and the increasing bad economy. Even if the selectmen missed these reports, it had been brought to their attention and our selectmen refused the advise of our town adviser, John Gomarlo. John warned the selectmen to hold off on pre-pay decision for another few weeks to see how much more the price would drop; but the selectmen refused to listen to him. Their hasty action has cost us tax payers, $70,759.70 at today's spot market prices of $2.55. Not a very wise decision to say the least.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Employees Cost Town Too Much !!
The Informer has learned through two anonymous sources that the annual cost of 23 full time Winchester town employees for this fiscal year, not counting overtime or reimbursement for gas and mileage allowance will be over 1.3 million dollars. That's right, their gross wages,clothing and shoe allowance,health benefits,retirement and other compensation is costing us nearly half of the town's budget. This does not include the part time employees working for the town of Winchester. How does that make you feel as you struggle to come up with this year's property tax payment or the money to put food on your table or buy fuel oil.
Is it time to return to 3 elected selectmen?
Posted by Budget Committee Member Bob Davis; Is it time to go back to a 3 selectmen board? After having a long discussion with one selectmen about the fact that they are forgetting who's money it is they are spending and that the selectmen have a responsibility to provide a prudent and reasonable fiscal accountability of the budgeting of our tax dollars, I came away shaking my head. It was like talking to a wall. They continue to add more pork to the dept. budgets with more wasteful spending. Why? Is it in case we vote for a default budget in March that these increases will make next years default budget much larger? The selectmen have approved budget increase in every dept. and passed them to the budget committee to approve. This budget committee refuses to be realistic and has only cut out some increases and has more or less approved the selectman's increases. As a member of the budget committee, I have voiced the tax payer concerns we have received here on the blog and on the numerous phone calls I have received, at our meetings, warning other board members that the tax payers have no stomach for more tax increases. However; my voice has fallen on deaf ears and I received foolish smirks and laughter from certain committee members, who seem to not care how the public feels. The voice of the people will be heard in March when we organizes a "get out the vote" at the next deliberative session. We will take back "our town"!
We can not be concerned about what services will be cut or what hours are to be cut at town hall as they threaten us if we do, let them figure it out.
The selectmen and the budget committee refuses to listen to the tax payers. As some of us see it Gus Ruth, Ted Whippie and Sherman Tedford in the way they have acted as a voting block to give the town employees wage increase way above the average for this area.
We can not be concerned about what services will be cut or what hours are to be cut at town hall as they threaten us if we do, let them figure it out.
The selectmen and the budget committee refuses to listen to the tax payers. As some of us see it Gus Ruth, Ted Whippie and Sherman Tedford in the way they have acted as a voting block to give the town employees wage increase way above the average for this area.
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