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Hooksett council adopts federal grants, purchasing and security policies and approves multiple budget transfers
Summary
At its March 12 meeting the Hooksett Town Council approved new administrative rules for federal grants, accounts payable and credit-card use, added a building security policy to the personnel plan, and authorized several budget transfers to cover insurance, telephone and legal costs.
The Hooksett Town Council voted March 12 to add several administrative policies to the town code and to approve a set of budget transfers the administration said were needed to cover higher-than-expected costs.
Council voted to adopt a new Administration of Federal Grant Funds policy, which the town administrator and finance staff said auditors recommended to meet federal internal-control standards after the town received federal funds. Town Finance staff described the measure as a standard framework for handling allowable costs, indirect costs, conflict-of-interest safeguards, purchasing compliance and inventory management for federal awards.
The council also approved updated accounts-payable and credit-card policies. Town staff said the documents clarify existing practice and document rules that have been used since 2010 but had not previously been added to the administrative code. The updated credit-card policy covers limits, allowable uses and reconciliation requirements for town-issued cards.
Separately, the council added a new building security policy to the personnel plan that sets access rules tied to the townhall hours and the buildingsecurity system. Town staff said the policy complements an upgrade to timed locks and a key-fob system; staff emphasized the policy allows accommodations where essential volunteers or officials need scheduled after-hours access and that the town will handle exceptional cases individually.
Councilors approved several budget transfers the administration said were necessary:
- $107,800 to cover increased health and dental insurance premiums and plan changes; finance staff said the transfer draws on lines underspent because of current vacancies. (Budget transfer 2025-03) - $6,124 to cover a higher bid cost for a town-wide telephone system upgrade; the town awarded the contract in September and staff said ARPA funds initially allocated to the project covered most of the cost but the lowest bid exceeded the ARPA allocation by roughly $6,124. - $75,000 to cover legal services through the spring; finance staff said unfilled positions left other lines available and legal expenditures were running at roughly $12,000–$15,000 per month.
Council also approved a motion to advance a proposed outdoor-dining ordinance to a public hearing (scheduled for March 26) that would allow restaurants without outdoor dining shown on an approved site plan to apply to the town for a one-time authorization; restaurants that have outdoor dining on a site plan would still need to amend that plan to expand outdoor service permanently.
The meeting included standard consent-agenda approvals and acceptance of the Feb. 26 minutes. Several of the budget transfers were approved by roll call votes; other policy adoptions were approved by voice vote.
No councilor submitted a formal request to rescind any of the measures at the meeting. Town staff said detailed procedures and application forms for the outdoor-dining measure will be posted before the public hearing.
