Sanbornton selectboard and Budget Committee recommend supplemental warrant articles, including $1.7M for capital reserves

SANBORNTON, N.H. — The Town of Sanbornton’s Board of Selectmen and Budget Committee met Feb. 17 for a supplemental budget public hearing and recommended several warrant articles that would adjust the town’s capital and expendable trust funds.

Selectboard Chair Brandon Deacon and Town Administrator Trish Stafford opened the hearing and noted that Articles 1 and 4 had been discussed at a prior public hearing and did not require new input. Deacon also explained the Department of Revenue Administration’s (DRA) accounting requirement that prompted a re-vote on Article 2 because it must account for a $100,000 request for Winnisquam Watershed Preservation.

Why it matters: The Committee’s recommendations would move $1,696,125 into town capital reserve funds, create or modify expendable trust funds to smooth personnel and insurance costs, and allocate one-time resources for watershed and park work. Those actions affect how the town budgets and carries funds year to year and could influence near-term tax impacts and future grant eligibility.

Key outcomes

- Article 2 (Appropriate to Capital Reserve Funds): Mark Brown, a member of the Budget Committee, moved that the Committee recommend Article 2 in the amount of $1,696,125; Dennis Rechcygl seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The motion reflects the Committee’s re-vote following DRA accounting direction.

- Article 3 (Change Employee Severance Benefits expendable trust fund): Town Administrator Trish Stafford explained the proposal would allow unused time off to be paid at year-end rather than as a lump sum only at separation, reducing annual budget volatility. Mark Brown moved to recommend the article; Selectman Glenn Frederick seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

- Article 5 (Winnisquam Watershed Preservation): Mark Brown moved to recommend $100,000 to be paid from fund balance for the Winnisquam Watershed Preservation project; Dennis Rechcygl seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

- Article 6 (Sanbornton Recreation Town Park Improvement CRF): Christine Gagnon asked whether the funds were limited to the Town Park; Selectman Ralph Carter confirmed they were and said the $20,000 is seed money intended to match future grant applications. Mark Brown moved to recommend $20,000; Dennis Rechcygl seconded. The motion passed 5-1-0, with Christine Gagnon voting No.

- Article 7 (Medical and Dental Insurance Reserve expendable trust fund): In response to a question from Dennis Rechcygl, Mark Brown said the town’s current medical and dental budgeting reflects current usage and that establishing a reserve will allow funds to carry forward to smooth costs over time. Selectman Brandon Deacon and attendee Ray Masse noted that other towns have seen savings within a few years. Mark Brown moved to recommend $50,000; Dennis Rechcygl seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

- Article 8 (Modify Optional Service-Connected Total Disability Credit): Town Administrator Trish Stafford said the DRA has determined this is not a monetary article requiring a Budget Committee vote; the transcript records this as a procedural note rather than a Committee recommendation.

- Article 9 (Discontinue unused Capital Reserve and Expendable Trust Funds): Mark Brown moved to recommend discontinuing unused funds under Article 9; Dennis Rechcygl seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

- Article 10 (Discontinue State Aid Reconstruction Capital Reserve Fund): Mark Brown moved to recommend discontinuing the State Aid Reconstruction CRF under Article 10; Joe Bodwell seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance

Article 2 — Recommend $1,696,125 to CRFs. Mover: Mark Brown. Seconder: Dennis Rechcygl. Vote: unanimous. Article 3 — Recommend (change to Employee Severance Benefits expendable trust). Mover: Mark Brown. Seconder: Selectman Glenn Frederick. Vote: unanimous. Article 5 — Recommend $100,000 from fund balance for Winnisquam Watershed Preservation. Mover: Mark Brown. Seconder: Dennis Rechcygl. Vote: unanimous. Article 6 — Recommend $20,000 to Recreation Town Park Improvement CRF. Mover: Mark Brown. Seconder: Dennis Rechcygl. Vote: 5-1-0 (Christine Gagnon voted No). Article 7 — Recommend $50,000 to Medical and Dental Insurance Reserve. Mover: Mark Brown. Seconder: Dennis Rechcygl. Vote: unanimous. Article 8 — DRA guidance: not a monetary article requiring Budget Committee vote (procedural note; no Committee recommendation recorded). Article 9 — Recommend discontinuing unused CRFs/Expendable Trust Funds. Mover: Mark Brown. Seconder: Dennis Rechcygl. Vote: unanimous. Article 10 — Recommend discontinuing State Aid Reconstruction CRF. Mover: Mark Brown. Seconder: Joe Bodwell. Vote: unanimous.

Public input and next step

The public hearing was opened at 5:20 p.m. and closed at 5:21 p.m. after no members of the public spoke. Town Administrator Trish Stafford said she will add the balance amounts for the CRFs that are being discontinued. The meeting adjourned at 5:55 p.m.

(Prepared from meeting minutes; motions, seconds and vote tallies appear as recorded in the Feb. 17, 2026 meeting minutes.)