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Warner approves 2016 operating budget, grader lease and multiple capital reserves; roundabout funding approved
Summary
At the March 9, 2016 Warner Annual Town Meeting voters approved the 2016 operating budget of $3,026,049, a seven-year lease purchase for a highway grader, and a series of capital reserve fund additions including funds for the fire station, highway equipment and bridge repairs. Voters also approved a $735,000 appropriation toward a Route 103 roundabout with partial NHDOT reimbursement; a proposal to rescind a public-hearing requirement for highway CRF expenditures resulted in a tie and was defeated.
Warner voters approved a slate of budget and capital items at the March 9, 2016 Annual Town Meeting at Warner Town Hall, passing the municipality's operating budget, equipment financing and numerous capital reserve fund additions.
The assembly passed Article 5, the 2016 operating budget of $3,026,049, after a presentation by Michael Cutting, chairman of the Budget Committee. Voters approved Article 4, a 'lease to purchase' for a new highway grader in the amount of $299,251 payable over seven years; the first-year payment of $42,750 was approved and the paper-ballot result was YES 182, NO 15. Tim Allen, director of public works, presented the grader proposal.
Voters also approved Article 6, a $735,000 appropriation for construction of a roundabout on Route 103 near Exit 9 that includes anticipated reimbursements from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (an estimated $490,245 toward construction and $114,000 toward design). The Article passed on a paper ballot, YES 98, NO 89.
A series of capital reserve fund additions were grouped for consideration and approved: additions included $25,000 to the Property Revaluation CRF (Article 7), $15,000 to the Police Vehicle CRF (Article 8), $100,000 to the New Fire Station CRF (Article 9), and multiple additions across Articles 10–14 and 16–20 for fire and rescue vehicles, fire equipment, highway road construction, highway equipment, bridge repair, town hall building improvements, records preservation, contingency and library building funds. The Moderator reported current balances for several funds on request (for example, the Highway Equipment CRF balance was $82,279 prior to adding $110,000 under Article 13).
Article 21 to add $5,000 to the Conservation Commission Fund passed despite a 6–2 Budget Committee recommendation against it. Article 22 adopted provisions of RSA 36-A:4-a to authorize the Conservation Commission to expend funds for contributions to qualified organizations.
Not all measures passed. Article 24, a proposal submitted by the Selectmen to rescind a 2011 requirement that the Board of Selectmen hold a duly noticed public hearing before expending Highway Road Construction CRF funds, was amended on the floor and the amendment failed; the subsequent ballot on Article 24 produced a tie (YES 34, NO 34) and the Moderator ruled the Article defeated for lack of a majority. Article 25, to discontinue a Class VI section of Mill Pond Lane and revert the land back to the abutting owner, passed.
Votes at a glance: [Article 3 (solar array): amended failed YES 139 NO 77 (2/3 required); Article 4 (grader lease): PASSED YES 182 NO 15; Article 5 (operating budget): PASSED (voice vote) $3,026,049; Article 6 (roundabout): PASSED YES 98 NO 89; Article 24 (rescind public-hearing requirement): TIED YES 34 NO 34, defeated; Article 25 (discontinue Class VI portion of Mill Pond Lane): PASSED].
The meeting adjourned at 11:46 p.m.
