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Warner budget committee hears 1.44% budget increase, cuts to capital spending and multiple warrant articles
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Summary
At a Feb. 10 public hearing the Town of Warner budget committee reviewed the precinct and town budgets, described a 1.44% combined operating/capital increase, discussed cuts that halve the capital budget this year and reviewed multiple warrant articles including police vehicle, bridge repair, highway and transfer‑station reserves.
The Town of Warner budget committee opened a public hearing Feb. 10 to review the precinct and town operating and capital budgets and a slate of warrant articles to be presented at town meeting.
Matt, who presented the precinct budget, said the precinct closed the prior year with a $2,080,000 surplus and proposed a modest budget increase of about 1.7% driven chiefly by a required backup sewer operator retainer and related hours that added roughly $10,000 to the sewer line. "The precinct ended last year... with a $2,080,000 dollar surplus," Matt said, and reported the precinct is budgeting $549,006 for operation, maintenance and improvement of the district's water and sewer system.
Moderator Michael (chair) said the town combined operating and capital budget represents a 1.44% increase over last year after steep reductions to capital spending. "We cut [the capital budget] in half," the chair said, noting capital spending was reduced from about $755,000 to roughly $377,500 to limit the tax impact. The chair also cited an operating‑budget figure of $5,057,708.74.
Select board discussion focused on long‑term pressures. A select‑board member summarized state funding changes and school costs, saying the Kearsarge School District faces aging buildings and that school taxes have materially driven local tax increases over the past decade. "The school tax has gone up a total of 76%... That's the killer for our taxes," the speaker said, urging attention to regional revenue shifts.
Committee members and department representatives reviewed individual warrant articles. The chair read warrant article 1 to raise $5,047,709 for municipal operations. Article 2 would add $15,000 to the police vehicle capital reserve to keep cruiser replacement on schedule. Police representative Steve Jammer warned that prior cuts have postponed replacements and recommended larger future deposits to restore a steady replacement schedule, saying the recent reductions "are gonna throw us off on schedule." Robert Blake, reporting fund balances, said several capital reserve funds have declined year‑over‑year and provided current balances (for example, the bridge fund at $136,004.90 at year end).
Other warrant items discussed included a $125,000 deposit to the bridge repair/replacement reserve, a $100,000 addition to the highway equipment reserve (raising that fund from about $229,720 to roughly $329,000), $25,000 for transfer‑station equipment (current balance ~$28,978), $30,000 for firefighter equipment and use of $50,000 from the fire/rescue vehicle capital reserve for apparatus replacement. Fire/rescue needs discussed included portable radios and structural turnout gear; a single structural turnout set was characterized at roughly $3,500.
The committee also reviewed an article to establish a revolving fund for the emergency operations center with a $6,500 appropriation from the unassigned fund balance and an article adopting provisions related to RSA 72:27 and RSA 72:35 concerning an optional property tax credit for service‑connected total and permanent disabilities.
A select‑board member said he plans to propose, from the floor at town meeting, a $5 motor‑vehicle registration fee for highway improvements (estimated at $20,000–$21,000 annually) and asked about the moderator's procedure for accepting floor motions; the chair explained that the deadline for submitting warrant articles has passed but that motions can be made at town meeting subject to moderator rulings.
No final votes on the town warrant articles were taken at the hearing. The chair recessed the public hearing until the next Thursday evening for additional public input and noted the budget committee will take a formal vote on the operating budget, revenue and warrant articles at its Feb. 19 meeting. The minutes of Jan. 22, 2026 were approved at the start of the meeting; the motion to approve was made by Mister Martin and seconded by Mister Sherman, with roll‑call assent from Mister Bixby, Mister Sherman, Mister Martin, Mister Alfred Hanson and Mister Bill Hanson.
