Bow Selectmen review proposed budget that would raise town tax rate to $4.91

Bow — Bow Town selectmen reviewed a proposed fiscal-year budget on Dec. 3 that staff said would raise the town portion of the tax rate to $4.91 from the current $4.62, a 6.2% increase.

At a slide presentation, an unidentified presenter summarized capital and operating highlights and said the proposed tax-rate impact "is $4.91, which is an increase from $4.62 ... a 6.2% proposed increase." The presenter credited recent commercial growth and improved permitting systems for stronger revenues and said the town picked up roughly $37.8 million in gross assessed value from 2024 to 2025.

The board spent substantial time on personnel and benefit assumptions. Staff described a request from the fire department for a new, full-time "administrative captain" to consolidate a retiring part-time firefighter's duties, emergency-management tasks and health-officer responsibilities. Unidentified Speaker 6 said the position's total cost "is around 140,000 with benefits," and noted that some stipends (about $2,700) would shift to help offset the net cost. Members asked staff for a detailed offset breakdown before deciding whether to include the new position.

Police staffing and benefits drew follow-up questions. The proposed budget includes funding for four open police positions; board members questioned the assumption that all new hires would elect family health plans. One board member summarized the concern by noting the budgeted family-plan cost could be large and recommended staff provide historical uptake data so the board can model more realistic savings if some hires accept buyouts or single plans.

Solid-waste costs also rose as a focal point. Staff said the town's new contract with Casella will increase the operating cost "almost a $170,000," producing a measurable tax-rate effect. Board members discussed recycling contamination under a single-stream system and proposed a small one-time public-education allocation (figures discussed at the meeting included roughly $3,000–$4,000) to reduce contamination and associated tipping costs.

Revenue assumptions in the proposal include a $100,000 increase in motor-vehicle fees and a $10,000 increase in building-permit revenue attributed to easier online permitting. Ambulance-fee revenue was left flat at $500,000 in the staff presentation because, staff said, activity levels are uncertain; the fire chief advised against increasing that estimate without firmer data.

Board members also asked staff to quantify the potential impact of a pending state bill to end balance billing for ambulance services; one participant said the change "will have a drastic positive effect on ambulance revenue." The selectmen asked staff to return figures showing recent actuals and projected impacts before further budget decisions.

The board approved the consent agenda earlier in the meeting. Before adjourning to a nonpublic session on personnel grounds, members agreed on several follow-ups: (1) a detailed breakdown of offsets related to the proposed fire administrative-captain position; (2) historical uptake and budget impact of family-plan elections in the police department; (3) end-of-year ambulance revenue actuals versus the budgeted figures; and (4) closer review of the recreation revolving fund and certain CIP/paving requests.

The board then voted to enter a nonpublic session under RSA 91-A:3 (personnel) for further discussion.

Votes at a glance: The board moved and seconded approval of the consent agenda (motion carried; chair announced "Ayes have it"). Later the board voted by roll call to enter nonpublic session under RSA 91-A:3 for personnel matters; roll call responses were recorded as affirmative and the meeting proceeded to nonpublic session.