Hooksett — Town administrators and Fire & Rescue leaders presented a proposed Fire & Rescue budget of $5,238,414 to the Hooksett Budget Committee, an increase of $109,469 (about 2.13%) over the prior year.

The budget presentation focused on personnel costs and benefits, department overtime, and equipment maintenance. Town Administrator Andre Garen and Fire Chief David Nado told the committee that health-insurance costs are a major driver of the increase and union contract negotiations could further affect personnel lines.

Why this matters: rising health-insurance and benefit costs and aging apparatus affect the town’s operating budget and choices for vehicle maintenance or replacement. Committee members pressed staff for detail about how one-time and recurring costs would be covered and where budget pressure might appear in the coming year.

Garen said the town is budgeting for higher health-insurance premiums after receiving plan data; health care costs in the presentation were described as rising roughly 14.5% this year, with dental increasing by about 4.4%. The administration expects a follow-up presentation by the town’s healthcare administrator, PrimeX, to provide more actuarial detail to the council and committee before final budget votes.

Personnel and overtime accounted for other large budget changes. The package presented factors in union wage increases that are already in multi‑year contracts and notes an overtime increase line of $19,401. Presenters said actual overtime paid in the FY2025 period exceeded $500,000 and that overtime remains a focus for cost control.

Mutual aid and staffing: Chief Nado told the committee the department has been using more mutual aid than in previous years, and he said the pattern indicates a need for increased staffing in future budgets to meet demand during simultaneous incidents.

Equipment and repairs: Chief Nado said the department experienced an equipment failure during the meeting week. The reserve engine (a 2006 model) and its ladder were taken out of service for major repairs; initial estimates provided at the meeting put the likely cost in the $20,000–$30,000 range. The chief said that unexpected, high-cost repairs on older apparatus are pressuring the current-year fleet maintenance line and could require reprioritizing preventative maintenance or requesting a supplemental appropriation.

Hydrant charges and other fixed costs: The presentation also noted noncontrollable fixed costs, including hydrant rental fees charged by area water suppliers. Garen gave examples of wide variation in hydrant charges among providers, and said the town has limited leverage to reduce those rates.

Other adjustments and clarifications: Staff said some line‑item changes shown in the budget represent internal reclassifications rather than net new spending (for example, moving testing expenses from “training and dues” to an “employment testing” line). Committee members asked for clearer line-item labeling in the published budget detail so changes are easier to follow.

The committee took no final vote on the Fire & Rescue appropriation at the meeting; the presentation was received for review and further follow-up with health‑insurance actuaries and additional detail on vehicle repair forecasting was requested.