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Lyme budget committee reviews clerk and administration spending plans, approves Oct. 29 minutes
Summary
The Lyme Budget Committee heard presentations Nov. 5 from Town Clerk Emily Shepard and Administrator Dina Cutting showing modest increases in supplies, postage, insurance and legal costs; the committee approved Oct. 29 minutes 8–0 and adjourned at 7:53 p.m. No budgets were adopted.
The Lyme Budget Committee on Nov. 5 heard proposed budgets from Town Clerk Emily Shepard and Administrator Dina Cutting that reflected several modest but potentially cumulative cost increases and staffing proposals, approved the Oct. 29 meeting minutes and then adjourned.
Town Clerk Emily Shepard said the Town Clerk budget is largely unchanged from last year but carries higher line items for supplies and postage and includes funds for a new copier. Shepard told the committee the Department of Motor Vehicles upgraded its software, requiring the town to buy updated software for its clerk’s office, and that a new election law will require programming of a tablet for this year’s elections, which she has added to the budget. Shepard said she hopes to hire a deputy clerk at 15–16 hours per week; that position would combine with a 20‑hour Select Board office clerk to create a full‑time-equivalent staffing plan. Committee members discussed beginning an early public conversation about possibly combining the Town Clerk and Tax Collector positions.
Administrator Dina Cutting presented the Executive, Revaluation, Legal, Personnel Administration, General Government Buildings, Insurance, Advertising, Regional Association and Patriotic budgets. Cutting said postage, supplies and telephone line items have risen and the town needs a new website platform because the current vendor is discontinuing the program and increasing pricing. She reported a $1,000 increase for the utility appraiser and said legal expenses have climbed because the town has seven active court cases this year. Cutting also said property liability insurance has risen significantly, and that the ambulance provider has a separate budget cycle but advised the town to plan for a 5% increase. Park and Recreation spending is largely unchanged, though electricity and lifeguard supplies have increased.
The committee approved a correction and the minutes of the Oct. 29 meeting on a motion by Rich Brown, seconded by Bill Malcolm; the motion carried 8–0. School representative Kristin Roth moved to adjourn at 7:53 p.m.; Brown seconded and the committee voted unanimously to adjourn. Jordan Gray is listed as having respectfully submitted the meeting minutes.
No formal votes were taken on the presented budgets during the Nov. 5 session; the presentations will remain part of the ongoing budget review process.
