Sawyer Lake treasurer: district accounts reconciled; DRA probing unreported investments by town trustees

Treasurer Claudia Ferber told Sawyer Lake Village District voters on April 4 that district accounts are reconciled and routine, with year-end balances of $226,797.04 in the money market, $3,457.38 in checking and $65,445.65 in the Capital Reserve Dam Fund.

Claudia said the DRA informed the district that the Gilmanton Trustees of the Trust Fund (TOT) had not reported Sawyer Lake investments to the state for the past four years. She said the matter drew the attention of the Department of Justice and that the DRA would confirm when TOT resolves the reporting omission. Claudia emphasized that district funds themselves are accounted for in Fidelity Investment reports and reconciled for the year, and she recommended the commissioners meet with the TOT to discuss the investment reporting.

Claudia reported a 2025 budget surplus of $27,226.66, attributing a large portion of it to an $11,121 surplus in the dam line item. She explained that the district’s 2026 proposed operating budget is $110,780 and said the more detailed budget format will simplify transfers between line items and financial reporting to the DRA. She also noted a process change this year: the district obtained a debit card to avoid staff using personal cards for purchases.

On grant and debt items, Claudia said the district’s ARPA dam grant has a remaining restricted balance of $175,344.94 for pre-construction work and that $28,496 of ARPA funds were spent on the dam in 2025. She said the New Hampshire Municipal Bank bond has a balance of $20,350 and is scheduled to be paid off in August 2027.

Claudia said all required financial reports for 2025 have been filed by the deadlines, including the MS-535 report now awaiting DRA approval. She agreed to email an accounting of the ARPA grant expenditures to a resident who requested it.

The annual meeting approved the 2026 operating budget by majority vote.