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Voters approve budget and mailbox funding; several offices filled while clerk and moderator remain vacant
Summary
At the Sawyer Lake Village District annual meeting voters approved the 2026 budget, authorized temporary tax anticipation notes, increased the dam capital reserve, approved mailbox leasing and a mailbox replacement funding request, and elected several officers; the clerk and moderator positions remained unfilled.
Voters at the Sawyer Lake Village District annual meeting on April 4 approved multiple warrant articles and elected officers.
Key votes
- Article 1 (election of necessary officers): motion passed by majority.
- Article 2 (2026 operating budget of $110,780): moved by Treasurer Claudia Ferber, seconded by Paula T, passed by majority.
- Article 3 (authorize temporary loans under RSA 33:7): moved by Claudia Ferber and seconded by Mike K; the motion passed by majority. Discussion clarified the provision permits short-term tax anticipation borrowing to cover unexpected major expenses, to be repaid when precinct taxes are received.
- Article 4 (raise $30,000 to Sawyer Lake Dam Capital Reserve Fund): moved by Commissioner Rick Milliken; motion passed by majority. Article 5 (the $15,000 contribution) was rendered moot by passage of Article 4 and not voted on.
- Article 6 (authorize commissioners to lease and manage mailboxes and fees): motion passed by majority.
- Article 7 (establish mailbox special revenue fund under RSA 31:95-C and raise $100 to establish it): conducted by paper ballot and passed 33 Yes to 2 No.
- Article 8 (allocate $30,000 from unassigned fund balance for new mailboxes): moved and passed by majority; residents noted that using unassigned funds reduces available balance for future years.
- Article 9 (raise $10,000 for mailbox installation and construction): moved and seconded but failed by majority.
Elections and vacancies
- Rick Milliken was elected Commissioner to a three-year term.
- Claudia Ferber was elected Treasurer to a one-year term.
- Brian Palmer was elected Road Agent to a one-year term.
- David Ferber was elected Budget Representative to a one-year term.
- Auditor Megan L. Denutte was elected to a one-year term.
- Mary Sawyer said she would not run again for Clerk; a nomination was declined and the clerk position remained unfilled; citizens will be asked to submit letters of interest.
- Moderator Rick Lucas said he would not be a candidate and the moderator position remained unfilled; the district will seek letters of interest for open offices.
Other business
A resident asked that the wooden meeting-house sign be posted in future years to announce the annual meeting. A debate over a prematurely distributed draft of proposed beach rules ended with commissioners agreeing to draft rules for later public discussion and with a reminder to residents to confirm documents before assuming they reflect commissioners' final plans.
The meeting adjourned at 12:00 p.m.
