Local/New Hampshire Politics::

Your chance to register to vote

Your chance to register to vote

September 03, 2010 10:56 AM

In preparation for the N.H. State Primary, the East Kingston Supervisors of the Checklist will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 7 from 7 to 7:30 p.m. at the Pound School (the former East Kingston library) on Main Street for the purpose of registering new voters.

New voters may also register on Election Day which will be held on Sept. 14 at the East Kingston Elementary School. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Local/New Hampshire Politics::

Pre-election Testing

The Town Clerk’s office will be performing pre-election testing of the electronic ballot counting device and ballots for the September 14, 2010 Primary in the Town Clerk’s office (24 Depot Road) on Friday, September 3, 2010 beginning at 10:00AM per NH RSA 656:42(e).

For more information, call the Town Clerk at 642-8794.

Local/New Hampshire Politics::

Absentee Ballots are now available

Absentee ballots for the September 14, 2010 State Primary Election are now available at the Town Clerk's Office or by mail.
An absentee voter must be registered to vote in East Kingston, will be absent from Town on Voting Day, unable to come to the polls due to physical disability, or a religious observance, or an employment obligation requiring physical presence at work.


Requests must include your signature, East Kingston address, and a mailing address if different from home address. Political affiliation must be stated to receive ballot of choice (Democrat or Republican).
Written requests for the ballot can be mailed to the East Kingston Town Clerk, PO Box 249, East Kingston, NH 03827, or applied for in person at the Town Clerk's Office.

Completed ballots, returned in person, must be received at the Town Clerk's Office no later than 5:00PM, September 13, 2010, or received by mail on September 14, 2010.

Please call the Town Clerk's Office at 642-8794 for more information.

Local/New Hampshire Politics::

State Primary Election

The State Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at the East Kingston Elementary School, 5 Andrews Lane, East Kingston, NH from 8:00AM-7:00PM.

Local/New Hampshire Politics::

Guinta stumps in East Kingston

1st Congressional District candidate Guinta stumps in East Kingston
Candidate for Congress talks with citizens


By Valerie Cellucci
newsletter@seacoastonline.com
April 13, 2010 2:00 AM

EAST KINGSTON — Republican Frank Guinta, 39, the former mayor of Manchester and candidate for the 1st District congressional seat currently held by Democrat Carol Shea-Porter, held a Town Hall meeting April 6 at the Pound School.

"I got into elected service as a state legislator back in 2000 and I've been fortunate to win every race that I've run for," Guinta said.

Guinta has served in Manchester as a state representative, as an alderman and for the past four years as mayor. Guinta said while in office he reduced the violent crime rate in the Queen City by 17 percent, helped improve the way the Police Department operates and defended the rights of law-abiding gun owners to protect their families and properties from dangerous criminals.

He said it was a very humbling experience for him to serve as mayor in Manchester and it was difficult to not run for re-election (Ted Gatsas was elected to the post last fall).

"I enjoyed being mayor. It was a great job and a great city but there were also things going on at a national level that I think, like many other people, I was concerned about," Guinta said.

The candidate wants to lower taxes and cut spending by focusing on specific line items of the budget.

"I've been very disappointed as an American that there has been a new Congress, a new president and a new administration and all that has been done is deficits have increased, government is taking over different sectors of business, the economic conditions have not changed but have been getting worse and more and more people are deeply concerned about their rights and their opportunities."

Guinta said he is focused on solution-based approaches to decrease funding to or even cut specific line items in the budget that are not necessary.

Guinta said what sets him apart from the other candidates is that he has been through the stresses of being on a ballot and has won.

He believes that the way to win is a strong campaign team, meeting people face to face and listening to what people have to say, regardless of party affiliation.

"You have to show who you are as an individual and that's getting out there and talking to as many people who will talk to you," he said.

Guinta has spent the last year campaigning and asking people for their support.

He said he believes he knows what it takes as a candidate to be effective. Through his experience in service he has found that people support him for governing with experience, knowledge and logic. By continuing to do this Guinta believes he can get the support of people from all parties.

"I do have the ability to bring in crossover votes. I've done it," he said.

Guinta is strongly against government-run health care, increase in taxes and overall government interference.

"The one thing that has to happen when Republicans win in November is that they have to be true to their campaign and promises," he said. "I do what I say I can do."

Local/New Hampshire Politics::

$2.5 million budget passes

E. Kingston passes $2.5 million budget; police cruiser fails

March 09, 2010 9:59 PM
Town races

Board of Selectmen (pick one)

Richard S. Poelaert - 420


Town Moderator (pick one)

Kerry Marshall - 482

Town Clerk/Tax Collector (pick one)

Barbara Clark - 521


Town Treasurer (pick one)

Catherine Hankin - 482


Road Agent (pick one)

Michael Paul – 27
Peter Freeman – 129
Matthew Gallant – 356 (winner)


Supervisor of the Checklist
Margaret Goudreau - 477


Cemetery Trustee
Vytautas Kasinskas - 485


Trustee of the Trust Fund
Vytautas Kasinskas - 477


Trustee of the Public Library (pick one)

Barbara Williams - 493

School races

School Board (pick one)

Bob Nigrello - 480


School District Treasurer
Ellsworth "Toby" Russell - 471


School District Moderator
Keri Marshall (write-in) 36 votes


School District Clerk
Susan Veroneau (write-in) 7 votes

Town articles

Article 2 $2,575,000 operating budget. Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $2,557,000. Yes: 373 No: 103 - PASSES

Article 3 $25,300, and to change the town clerk/tax collector office from part-time to full-time. Yes: 323 No: 192 - PASSES

Article 4 Appoint the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from the

Building Preservation Expendable Trust Fund Yes: 275 No: 238 - PASSES

Article 5 $10,000 to be added to the existing revaluation capital reserve fund for the purpose of the next revaluation of the town. Yes: 316 No: 202 – PASSES

Article 6 To establish a recreational improvements capital reserve fund, and place $35,000 in this fund. Yes: 255 No: 282 - FAILS

Article 7 Appoint the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from the fire apparatus capital reserve fund previously established in 1999. Yes: 282 No: 252 - PASSES

Article 8 $285,000 for the purpose of purchasing a tanker truck with $191,000 coming from the fire apparatus capital reserve fund Yes: 305 No: 242 - PASSES

Article 9 Authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a three-year lease/purchase agreement ($26,000) for lease/purchasing a fully equipped police vehicle. $11,000 for the first year's payment. Yes: 264 No: 280 - FAILS

Article 10 Establish a police outside special detail revolving fund Yes: 344 No: 198 - PASSES

Article 11 Accept Maplevale Road, from Holly Lane to Depot Road at Jewett's General Store, as a town-owned road Yes: 396 No: 147 - PASSES

Article 12 Accept Squire Way as a town-owned road Yes: 374 No: 158 - PASSES

Article 13 Accept Winslow Drive as a town-owned road Yes: 366 No: 163 - PASSES

Article 14 Create an expendable trust fund to be known as the “library building maintenance fund” for the purpose of funding long-term maintenance for the library building Yes: 336 No: 202 - PASSES

Article 15 Allow East Kingston Public Library trustees to accept gifts of personal property, other than money, which may be offered to the library for any public purpose. Yes: 213 No: 163 - PASSES
(Article 15: Was amended at deliberative session to read
"Shall the Town")

Article 16 By petition, “are you in favor of eliminating the position of full-time fire chief and return to a part time fire chief?” Yes: 377 No: 161 - PASSES

Article 17 By petition, definition of marriage Yes: 238 No: 151 - PASSES
(Article 17: Was amended at the deliberative session to read "On the petition" )

School articles

Article 1 $2,521,570 operating budget, if it fails default budget of $2,503,207 takes affect Yes: 287 No: 231 - PASSES

Article 2 Two-year teachers; contract (increase in 2010-11 is $11,946 and $38,837 in 2011-12) Yes: 286 No: 240 - PASSES

Local/New Hampshire Politics::

2010 East Kingston Town Ballot

TOWN OF EAST KINGSTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE

1. To choose all necessary Town Officers for the year ensuing.

2. Shall the Town of East Kingston raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including
appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the
amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by vote of the first
session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $2,575,000. Should this article be defeated,
the default budget shall be $2,557,000, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments
required by previous action of the Town of East Kingston or by law; or the governing body may
hold one special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a
revised operating budget only.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

3. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of twenty-five thousand three
hundred dollars ($25,300), to accept the report of the Salary Review Committee and approve the
following recommendations: changing the Bookkeeper of the Trust Funds from no fees to
actual expenses as included in the town budget, and to change the Town Clerk/Tax Collector
office from part-time to full-time, resulting in an increase of twenty-five thousand three
hundred dollars ($25,300) for full-time benefits:
Supervisor of the Checklist $125.00 per election (1) (2)
(No change) $125.00 per purge of the Checklist
Moderator $225.00 per election (1)
(No change)
Election Officers $8.00 per hour (1)
(No change)
Bookkeeper of the Trust Funds $700.00 per year
(Increase of actual expenses) Actual Expenses (3)
Treasurer $1,700.00 per year
(No change) Actual Expenses (3)
First Selectman $3,000.00 per year
(No change) Actual Expenses (3)
Second and Third Selectmen $2,500.00 per year
(No change) Actual Expenses (3)
Town Clerk/Tax Collector $40,000.00 per year (4)
(Change to full time, and Actual Expenses (3)
Increase $25,300 for benefits)
Explanations:
(1) Election pay includes any associated meeting until adjournment thereof.
(2) Supervisors of the Checklist shall be paid $8.00 per hour or the applicable minimum hourly
wage, whichever is greater, for hours outside of election meeting hours. Such hours for
registration & checklist verification, with the exception of a required purge of the checklist.
(3) Expenses are for actual expenses incurred. Mileage shall be at the current IRS coded amount
at the time of requested reimbursement.
(4) Salary is based on the Town Clerk/Tax Collector working a minimum of 35 hours per week,
which shall qualify the incumbent as full-time, effective April 1, 2010, for the purposes of New
Hampshire Retirement and insurance benefits. Public office hours shall be available 5 days
per week, with a minimum of 30 hours/week, including at least one evening session of two
hours minimum. The evening session shall be at the decision of the Town Clerk as to which
night. These total hours shall include two week’s paid vacation per year.
(5) The following provisions shall also apply:
All changes are to be retroactive to January 1, 2010.
The Town shall retain all fees collected by any elected official.
A Salary Review Committee shall be appointed by the Moderator in 2012 to bring
recommendations to the 2013 Annual Election of the Town.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

4. To see if the Town will vote to appoint the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from the
Building Preservation Expendable Trust Fund previously established at the 1994 Town Meeting.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

5. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) to
be added to the existing Revaluation Capital Reserve Fund established at Town Meeting 1991 for
the purpose of the next revaluation of the Town, as required every five years by NH RSA75:8-a.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

6. To see if the Town will vote to establish a Recreational Improvements Capital Reserve Fund
under the provisions of RSA 35:1 for the purpose of recreational improvements, and to raise and
appropriate the sum of thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) to be placed in this fund, and vote to
appoint the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from this account and no further approval is
required by the legislative body to expend.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

7. To see if the Town will vote to appoint the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from the Fire
Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund previously established in 1999.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

8. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of two hundred eighty-five thousand
dollars ($285,000) for the purpose of purchasing a tanker truck to replace the 1986 F8000 tanker
for the Fire Department and to authorize the withdrawal of one hundred ninety one thousand
dollars ($191,000) from the Fire Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund created for that purpose. The
balance of ninety-four thousand dollars ($94,000) is to come from general taxation.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

9. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a three-year
lease/purchase agreement for twenty-six thousand dollars ($26,000) for the purpose of
lease/purchasing a fully equipped police vehicle for the Police Department and to raise and
appropriate the sum of eleven thousand dollars ($11,000) for the first year’s payment of seven
thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) plus three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500) for the
installation of all related equipment. This lease agreement contains an escape clause.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

10. To see if the Town will vote to establish a Police Outside Special Detail Revolving Fund pursuant
to RSA 31:95-h, for the purpose of purchasing equipment and vehicles for the Police Department.
All revenues received for police outside special details will be deposited into the fund, and the
money in the fund shall be allowed to accumulate from year to year, and shall not be considered
part of the Town’s general fund unreserved fund balance. The Town Treasurer shall have
custody of all moneys in the fund, and shall pay out the same only upon order of the Board of
Selectmen and no further approval is required by the legislative body to expend. Such funds may
be expended only for the purpose of purchasing equipment and vehicles for the police department
for which this fund is created.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

11. To see if the Town will vote to accept Maplevale Road, from Holly Lane to Depot Road at Jewett’s
General Store, as a town-owned road as recommended by the Town Engineer.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

12. To see if the Town will vote to accept Squire Way as a town-owned road as recommended by
the Town Engineer.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

13. To see if the Town will vote to accept Winslow Drive as a town-owned road as recommended by
the Town Engineer.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

14. To see if the Town will vote to create an expendable trust fund under the provisions of NH RSA
31:19-a I, to be known as the “library building maintenance fund” for the purpose of funding
long-term maintenance for the library building and to name the Trustees of the Library as agents
for this fund.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

15. Shall the Town adopt the provisions of RSA 202-A:4-D authorizing indefinitely, until specific
rescission of such authority, the East Kingston Public Library Trustees to accept gifts of personal
property, other than money, which may be offered to the library for any public purpose. No
acceptance of any personal property under the authority of this article shall be deemed to bind
the Town or the library trustees to raise, appropriate, or expend any public funds for the
operation, maintenance, repair, or replacement of such personal property. Prior to the acceptance
of any gift valued at over $5,000, the Library Trustees shall hold a public hearing on the proposed
acceptance.
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

16. On the petition of David Pendell and 24 other registered voters, of the Town of East Kingston, we
the undersigned registered voters of East Kingston present the following petition to the Selectmen
to have the following question placed on the 2010 warrant “Are you in favor of eliminating the
position of full time fire chief under RSA 154:1 Organization, and return to a part time fire chief.”
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED

17. On the petition of Wyman E. Shuler and 26 other registered voters, of the Town of East Kingston,
New Hampshire, we the undersigned registered voters of East Kingston hereby petition the Board
of Selectmen to include as a Warrant Article at the 2010 Annual Town Meeting the following: “To
see if the Town will vote to approve the following resolution to be forwarded to our State
Representative(s), our State Senator, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President.
Resolved: The citizens of New Hampshire should be allowed to vote on an amendment to the New
Hampshire Constitution that defines “marriage.”
MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED
Given under our hands & seal, this 19th day of January, in the year of our Lord Two Thousand Ten.
A true copy of Warrant – Attest:
___________________________________
Matthew B. Dworman, Chairman
___________________________________
Richard S. Poelaert
___________________________________
David R. Pendell, Jr.
Town of East Kingston
Board of Selectmen

Local/New Hampshire Politics::

EK Deliberative Session - February 2, 2010

TOWN OF EAST KINGSTON
First Session of the 2010 Annual Meeting

Deliberative Session - February 2, 2010





Selectmen

Matthew B. Dworman, Chairman

David R. Pendell, Jr.

Richard S. Poelaert



Barton L. Mayer, Town Counsel

Keri J. Marshall, Moderator

Phillip Marshall, Official Timer

Barbara A. Clark, Town Clerk



The Moderator, Keri Marshall, called the meeting to order at 7:03PM with 127 residents in attendance.



2. Shall the Town of East Kingston raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $2,575,000. Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $2,557,000, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the Town of East Kingston or by law; or the governing body may hold one special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only.

Motion made by: Matthew Dworman

Seconded: David Pendell

Discussion:

Roby Day offered his perspective with regard to the budget. He spoke of his prior experience as a Selectman and that he felt his primary responsibility was to oversee and execute the budget. He said that the board he served on was directly involved with the budget formulation and presentation, and the board knew where every penny was and could explain why it was necessary to spend it. He said that he was sorry to say, that today, he was not convinced that the present board had such confidence or that they played any significant role in the budget’s development.



He said he attended the budget hearing on January 11, 2010, and the board provided attendees with a budget outline that was distinguished by its lack of information and transparencies. He said when asked pointed questions, the board was unable to answer, deferring to office staff who did not produce the information requested.



Roby Day said the voters said no to the budget last year yet the proposed budget today is $18,000 greater than last year's. He said despite today's constraining economic environment the board proposed a 3% budget increase that included pay raises for town employees. Mr. Day said the impression he is left with is that the board does not understand that its duty first and foremost is to the voter and taxpayer. He said the board appears to be unwilling or unable to contain costs in light of the towns reduced ability to pay in difficult times or they don't fully understand their responsibilities.



Roby Day made a motion to amend the proposed budget, totally revised to $2,557,000 (the figure presented as the default budget).

Seconded: Henry Lewandowski

Discussion on amendment:

Matthew Dworman spoke of these last two years being a slightly different budgeting process under SB2. He said when they had the budget hearing one month ago, they didn't have all of the information of what the town had expended in 2009 because not all the books had been closed.



Matthew Dworman went over what the increases are for 2010, essentially looking at an $18,000 difference between the default budget and the proposed budget.



Matthew Dworman said that they certainly recognize the importance of monitoring the budget. He said in 2009, the default budget was $2,496,000 and through some hard work of specific individuals throughout the town, they under spent the budget by $344,000. He said that that money would be going back into the fund to offset the tax rate for the next year.



Matthew Dworman said that this year they were going to make an effort to increase their attention to detail and to revamping the budget process as far as redoing some of the budget worksheets that were created 20 years ago.



Roby Day said that he supported Mr. Dworman in his efforts, 100%. Mr. Day said as Mr. Dworman indicated, the budget process is antiquated and when questions can't be answered properly and in a timely fashion, one can't help but suspect that something is being hidden or that perhaps the body concerned doesn't know his job.



The amendment was voted on by a show of cards: Failed



Cathy Belcher said she has been working on the Salary Review Committee. She said she heard allegations that salaries within the town offices have not been following typical protocol of the compensation and benefits package and that some people have been paid an incredible increase without justification that would require such raises and that you wouldn't want the public to really know about them. She said her questions have nothing to do with the competency of the people in office.



She asked if the Board of Selectmen had knowledge that the compensation and benefits package that was adopted hasn't been followed for the past 5-6 years.



Matthew Dworman said that several people have brought this topic to the board’s attention. He said they are looking into it. He said that this, unfortunately, is not the venue to discuss employees.



Cathy Belcher said this isn't an employee issue but a budget issue.



Matthew Dworman said that Cathy Belcher serves on the Salary Review Committee providing recommendations for salaries and benefits for elected officials. He said no such review committee exists for town employees. Mr. Dworman said that the board is in discussion about whether to hire an outside source to review salaries and benefits of town employees.



Cathy Belcher questioned why they are considering hiring an outside source. She said it would cost the present Salary Review Committee nothing to do that.



Cathy Belcher said after looking through the budget, she couldn’t tell what the break down of salaries are for town employees. She asked for a verification of what salaries are in the office and what benefit packages are being offered to them.



Matthew Dworman said the benefits packages that are offered to all town employees are the ones that are used through the Local Government Center.



He said that he had a list of all of the wages of every employee in town and proceeded to read the list of salaries.



Cathy Belcher said that it looks like you have office staff making more money than the police chief, who is full-time, and she asked for an explanation.



Matthew Dworman said she was correct and that their administrative assistant does have a higher salary than the police chief. He said he was not going to get into what people's skill sets are and the justifications of salaries at this point. He said he recognized the importance of looking into this. Mr. Dworman said that as far as what the administrative assistant is earning, it is within the range of what other administrative assistants and town administrators are making in similar towns.



Robert Furfari said that all of this information is available to the public on the website, NH Local Government Center. He said they do comparables and if you look at towns with comparable size to East Kingston, similar full-time administrative assistant positions, the average wage is $18.00 per hour. He said our average range is $37.00 per hour. He asked how they justify that and that they do not need to hire an outside agency. He said he finds it incomprehensible that an administrative assistant makes more money than the chief of police of this town or the town clerk/tax collector who have greater responsibility and greater workload than those people.



Matthew Dworman said the purpose of this meeting is not to discuss individual personnel matters and skill sets. Mr. Dworman said other towns have full-time administrators, full-time administrative assistants, and a full-time welfare agent, and a full support staff.



Mark Cook wanted to clarify a point, and he said that this is the venue for town residents and taxpayers to go over this budget, line by line if they want to, to have anything clarified if they want to, and to amend any of these line items, to zero it out, if they want to.



Mark Cook questioned two particular line items. He said that he was informed the salaries for the two administrative assistants comes out of 4130 executive with actual expenditures of $95,295. He said when adding this up, the two salaries that were mentioned earlier, are quite a bit more than $95,295. He asked where the rest of the money is coming from.



Matthew Dworman said for those specific employees there are three separate line items. He said these two employees also serve as the welfare agents in town so part of their salaries come out of the welfare budget and part of their salary comes out of the financial administration budget, 4150.



Barbara Williams said she doesn't understand the first six line items on the budget and asked if someone could walk through them.



Matthew Dworman proceeded to explain the line items and how they are broken up.



Barbara Williams questioned legal expenses. She said there was such a variation of what was spent this year and what is budgeted.



Matthew Dworman said last year there was the threat of several lawsuits so the budget was increased. He said many of these were dissolved so the budget was under spent. The budget was $80,000 and $15,604 was spent. He said this year, when they created the budget, several of these lawsuits were looming so that the budget was increased by $5,000. He said he would feel comfortable by reducing that line item.

Matthew Dworman made a motion to reduce line item 4153 (legal expense) from $85,000 to $50,000.

Seconded: Nancy Reiss

Voted: Passed



Roby Day said he had in his hand the handout that was provided to the attendees at the budget hearing, and it is as skeletal as the handout that was given this evening. He said we did not have the details in hand to understand, let alone know what to ask.



Matthew Dworman moved to accept Article 2 as previously read with the change being that the new budget is $2,540,000 (to be reduced by $35,000).

Seconded: David Pendell

Vote on Article 2 to be amended to $2,540,000: Passed



Nancy Reiss asked if the default number would change now that the original number was changed. The Moderator said it would not.



Motion to not reconsider Article 2: David Pendell

Seconded: Delores Scandurra

Voted: Passed



3. To see if the Town of East Kingston will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of twenty-five thousand three hundred dollars ($25,300), to accept the report of the Salary Review Committee and approve the following recommendations: changing the Bookkeeper of the Trust Funds from no fees to actual expenses as included in the town budget, and to change the Town Clerk/Tax Collector office from part-time to full-time, resulting in an increase of twenty-five thousand three hundred dollars ($25,300) for full-time benefits:



Supervisor of the Checklist $125.00 per election (1) (2)

(No change) $125.00 per purge of the Checklist



Moderator $225.00 per election (1)

(No change)



Election Officers $8.00 per hour (1)

(No change)



Bookkeeper of the Trust Funds $700.00 per year

(Increase of actual expenses) Actual Expenses (3)



Treasurer $1,700.00 per year

(No change) Actual Expenses (3)



First Selectman $3,000 per year

(No change) Actual Expenses (3)



Second and Third Selectmen $2,500.00 per year

(No change) Actual Expenses (3)



Town Clerk/Tax Collector $40,000.00 per year (4)

(Change to full time, and Actual Expenses (3)

Increase $25,300 for benefits)



Explanations:

(1) Election pay includes any associated meeting until adjournment thereof.



(2) Supervisors of the Checklist shall be paid $8.00 per hour or the applicable minimum hourly wage; whichever is greater, for hours outside of election meeting hours. Such hours for registration & checklist verification, with the exception of a required purge of the checklist.



(3) Expenses are for actual expenses incurred. Mileage shall be at the current IRS coded amount at the time of requested reimbursement.



(4) Salary is based on the Town Clerk/Tax Collector working a minimum of 35 hours per week, which shall qualify the incumbent as full-time, effective April 1, 2010, for the purposes of New Hampshire Retirement and insurance benefits. Public office hours shall be available 5 days per week, with a minimum of 30 hours/week, including at least one evening session of two hours minimum. The evening session shall be at the decision of the Town Clerk as to which night. These total hours shall include two week’s paid vacation per year.



(5) The following provisions shall also apply:

The changes are to be retroactive to January 1, 2010.

The Town shall retain all fees collected by any elected official.



A Salary Review Committee shall be appointed by the Moderator in 2012 to bring recommendations to the 2013 Annual Election of the Town.



Motion made by: Richard Poelaert

Seconded: Henry Lewandowski

Discussion:

Nancy Parker asked why we need a full-time position now. She said the population hasn’t increased and she doesn’t know why the workload has increased. She also asked why the Salary Review Committee isn’t meeting again until 2012.



Matthew Dworman said the Salary Review Committee meets every 3 years.



Cathy Belcher, Salary Review Committee, said she has served on the committee this time as well as three years ago along with Duncan McLeod, Dennis Quintal, Ted Lloyd, and Chuck Walker. She said three years ago they increased the town clerk/tax collector’s salary from $22,000 to $40,000 after doing research, comparing rates of surrounding towns. She said that at the time they thought, based on the amount of hours they were giving her, that she had already qualified for full-time. Cathy Belcher said it really is a full-time job. She said the Salary Review Committee want to fix what they thought they took care of three years ago.



Richard Poelaert said that in regard to the workload in the town clerk/tax collector’s office, it actually has expanded significantly. He said the office is now collecting taxes twice a year when they were only doing it once a year, which is a tremendous savings to the town.



No further discussion

Vote on Article 3 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



4. To see if the Town will vote to appoint the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from the Building Preservation Expendable Trust Fund previously established at the 1994 Town Meeting.

Motion made by: David Pendell

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Discussion:

David Pendell said what this warrant article will do is it will put the Board of Selectmen in charge of taking out the preservation trust fund to fix the buildings instead of going out to vote every time they need to take money out of this.

Vote on Article 4 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



Motion made to not reconsider Article 3 and Article 4: Matthew Dworman

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Voted: Passed



5. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) to be added to the existing Revaluation Capital Reserve Fund established at Town Meeting 1991 for the purpose of the next revaluation of the Town, as required every five years by NH RSA75:8-a.

Motion made by: Matthew Dworman

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

No discussion.

Vote on Article 5 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



Motion to not reconsider Article 5: Matthew Dworman

Seconded: David Pendell

Voted: Passed



6. To see if the town will vote to establish a Recreational Improvements Capital Reserve Fund under the provisions of RSA 35:1 for the purpose of recreational improvements, and to raise and appropriate the sum of thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) to be placed in this fund, and vote to appoint the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from this account and no further approval is required by the legislative body to expend.

Motion made by: Richard Poelaert

Seconded: David Pendell

Discussion:

Richard Urwick asked how the $35,000 for the recreation improvements capital reserve fund relates to the increased budget for the Recreation Department as a line item in the budget.



David Pendell said that the Recreation Department has, in the past, raised all of their funds and carried them from April through the end of the year. He said they have a $4,000 budget every year. He said they have made an effort to fix the drainage problem down at Foss Wasson Field. He said through their fund raising efforts, they raised money to start Phase 1 of the project, and they have asked us to put this article on the ballot. He said this would complete the drainage work at Foss Wasson Field, which would enable them to get on the field earlier and get baseball season started earlier.



He said the difference is that with the budget they would be getting that money every year to expand their programs where as this money here would specifically be earmarked to help them with the drainage project at the Foss Wasson Field.



Todd Gibbons, Recreation Committee Chairman, said that they provide recreational activities to over 200 baseball/softball players. He said that Foss Wasson Field hasn't been touched in probably over 20-25 years. He said that East Kingston works off of a $4,000 budget and Kensington's Recreation Department, for example, works off of a budget of $25,000 every single year. He said that they have been severely under budgeted for years. He said that they have never asked for an increase. He said they fund themselves basically. He said for the 200+ kids, they are asking for this Foss Wasson Field renovation project.



Richard Poelaert said the recreation budget hasn't increased since he was involved 20 or so years ago.

Vote on Article 6 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



Motion to not reconsider Article 6: David Pendell

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Voted: Passed



7. To see if the Town will vote to appoint the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from the Fire Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund previously established in 1999.

Motion made by: David Pendell

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Discussion:

Cathy Belcher asked why the Selectmen need approval to expend the funds.



Matthew Dworman said that in the way that almost all of the capital reserve funds were created were such that they needed to be voted on in a town meeting for approval to expend. He said now that we don't have town meeting, it is not as easy to explain to the general public. He said even though the money is already in the capital reserve fund, they still have to request permission to raise and appropriate it. He said at last year's town voting there was an article requesting permission to expend from the capital reserve fund for the revaluation of the town. He said that that article failed even though the money was already there. He said people didn't understand that they simply were asking to expend the money. He said this simplifies the process and that the funds are specific to what they can be spent for.



Matthew Dworman said the revaluation article was discussed at the deliberative session last year and passed unanimously but then on voting day, it was not understood and they had to have a special town meeting which cost the town thousands of dollars.



Cathy Belcher said it is the Selectmen's obligation to educate us. She said they can put the information on their website, send out mailings, or post it.



Philip Romando said that maybe there should be a cap where the Board of Selectmen can't appropriate funds over a certain limit.



Peter Gilligan said it is usually customary that items like this are brought to the town body for discussion. He said it gives the department head the opportunity to explain why they need the piece of equipment. He said if you were to give this to the Board of Selectmen, we lose a lot of control and transparency that we should have.



Mark Cook motioned to amend Article 7 to add the following wording “to see if the town will vote to appoint the Board of Selectmen as agents to expend from the Fire Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund, previously established in 1999, upon the passing of Article 8, for the sole purpose of the replacement of the 1986 F8000 tanker for the Fire Department.



Mark Cook said if Article 8 should pass, it would allow the Selectmen to expend the money for the sole purpose of replacing the tanker. He said any further expenditures for the Fire Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund would have to go before the voters.

Seconded: Julie Ostopchuk

Discussion on amendment:

David Pendell said it is just an attempt for all of the Capital Reserve Funds to not get voted down over a series of years. He said all the money could be in the fund for the tanker truck, but it could get voted down six years in a row.



If you change Article 7 to that, then it would be redundant with Article 8.



Mark Cook said his intent was to clarify that control, where it is not left open-ended.



Douglas Sanville said if you expend all of the capital reserve, there would be nothing left. He asked what would happen next year.



David Pendell said that there would be a warrant article next year asking for a sum to go into the capital reserve fund for fire apparatus.



Matthew Dworman said up until last year, every year the town has put $60,000-$65,000 in the capital reserve fund for the Fire Department with the plan to replace specific pieces of apparatus.



Vote on amendment: Failed



Scott Szuba asked to move the question.

Voted: Passed

Vote on Article 7 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



8. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of two hundred eighty-five thousand dollars ($285,000) for the purpose of purchasing a tanker truck to replace the 1986 F8000 tanker for the Fire Department and to authorize the withdrawal of one hundred ninety-one thousand dollars ($191,000) from the Fire Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund created for that purpose. The balance of ninety-four thousand dollars ($94,000) is to come from general taxation.

Motion made by: Matthew Dworman

Seconded: David Pendell



Discussion:

Richard Pothier asked what the impact on the tax rate would be.



Matthew Dworman said it would be approximately 27 cents on the tax rate.



Edward Warren, acting Fire Chief, said that the truck is a 1986 truck that is 24+ years old. He said it was on its last leg. He said it is their primary source of water and he referred voters to reference the handout, which explains what the Fire Department would like to do.

No further discussion:

Vote on Article 8 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



Motion to not reconsider Article 7 or Article 8: Matthew Dworman

Seconded: Gerald Hankin

Voted: Passed



9. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a three-year lease/purchase agreement for twenty-six thousand dollars ($26,000) for the purpose of lease/purchasing a fully equipped police vehicle for the Police Department and to raise and appropriate the sum of eleven thousand dollars ($11,000) for the first year's payment of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) plus three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500) for the installation of all related equipment. This lease agreement contains an escape cause.

Motion made by: Richard Poelaert

Seconded: David Pendell

Discussion: None

Vote on Article 9 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



Motion to not reconsider Article 9: David Pendell

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Voted: Passed



10. To see if the Town will vote to establish a Police Outside Special Detail Revolving Fund pursuant to RSA 31:95-h, for the purpose of purchasing equipment and vehicles for the Police Department. All revenues received for police outside special details will be deposited into the fund, and the money in the fund shall be allowed to accumulate from year to year, and shall not be considered part of the Town's general fund unreserved fund balance. The Town Treasurer shall have custody of all moneys in the fund, and shall pay out the same only upon order of the Board of Selectmen and no further approval is required by the legislative body to expend. Such funds may be expended only for the purpose of purchasing equipment and vehicles for the police department for which this fund is created.

Motion made by: David Pendell

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Discussion:

David Pendell made a motion to amend warrant Article 10 to leave as written but to change the second to last line, “expended only for the purpose of paying for police special details.”

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Discussion on amendment:

David Pendell said that currently the police department does special details for the telephone company, Comcast, and Unitil and they put a detail officer out on the road. He said these companies pay the town for the detail. He said that money goes into the general fund. He said they would like to set up a special revolving account to deposit the money into so that the special details in the future will pay for the vehicle replacements, and taxes will not be raised to purchase new police cruisers.



David Pendell said that when they wrote the article they neglected to put in there for paying for details out of this fund. The money going into the fund will pay the officer and then the rest of the money will sit there.



Barbara Williams asked how much was collected last year.



Matthew Dworman said approximately $21,000.



Bart Mayer, Town Counsel, clarified that the money that is paid by the private companies is then used to pay the officers, so it doesn't come out of tax dollars. The excess, for administrative expenses and the use of the cruiser, stays in the account. Bart said the use of the funds was at the Board of Selectmen's discretion.



Nancy Parker asked if the police budget would decrease because of that budget line item and Matthew Dworman said that that was correct.



Matthew Dworman said that the Selectmen are not going to go out and buy a new cruiser just for the sake of buying a new cruiser. He said we vote to have the Selectmen make some of these decisions. Matthew Dworman emphasized that residents should come to the Selectmen meetings, which are held every other Monday night.



Richard Poelaert gave out the following information on the present cruisers:

* 2001 cruiser has 158,000 miles
* 2004 Chevy has 62,000 miles
* 2005 Ford has 130,000 miles
* 2007 cruiser has 46,000 miles



The Moderator asked that we vote on the amendment to warrant Article 10 to insert in the last sentence “such funds may be expended only for the purpose of paying for special details, purchasing equipment and vehicles for the Police Department, for which this fund is created.”



Vote on amendment: Passed



Peter Gilligan said that the Board of Selectmen could, at some point in the future, just decide we are going to buy this cruiser and they don't have any recommendation from the Police Chief. He thinks that after the wording of the Board of Selectmen there should be “upon the recommendation of the Police Chief to enter into a 3 year purchase, etc. He thinks the Police Chief should have the input.



The Moderator said we have a second amendment for Article 10 to insert the words “upon recommendation of the Police Chief on the second to the last sentence.



Vote on amendment: Passed



The Moderator said we now have two amendments to warrant Article 10, inserting the words “upon recommendation of the Police Chief” and also the last sentence, “paying for special details.



No further discussion

Vote on approving Article 10 as amended: Passed



Motion to not reconsider Article 10: Matthew Dworman

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Vote: Passed



11. To see if the Town will vote to accept Maplevale Road, from Holly Lane to Depot Road at Jewett's General Store, as a town-owned road as recommended by the Town Engineer.

Motion: Matthew Dworman

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Discussion: None

Vote on Article 11 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



Motion to not reconsider Article 11: Richard Poelaert

Seconded: David Pendell

Voted: Passed



12. To see if the Town will vote to accept Squire Way as a town-owned road as recommended by the Town Engineer.

Motion: Richard Poelaert

Seconded: Matthew Dworman

Discussion: None

Vote on Article 12 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



Motion to not reconsider Article 12: Richard Poelaert

Seconded: Kim Gallant

Voted: Passed



13. To see if the Town will vote to accept Winslow Drive as a town-owned road as recommended by the Town Engineer.

Motion made by: David Pendell

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Discussion: None

Vote on Article 13 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



Motion to not reconsider Article 13: Richard Poelaert

Seconded: Matthew Dworman

Voted: Passed



14. To see if the Town will vote to create an expendable trust fund under the provisions of NH RSA 31:19-a I, to be known as the “library building maintenance fund” for the purpose of funding long-term maintenance for the library building and to name the Trustees of the Library as agents for this fund.

Motion made by: Matthew Dworman

Seconded: David Pendell

Discussion:

Peter Gilligan asked if they are going to come to the community if there are any major repairs that have to be made and make a presentation so that we know what is happening or are things just going to happen and there are no transparencies.



Conrad Moses, Library Trustee, said that we could put money in the capital reserve fund and take it out for repairs. He said, for example, if one of the heating units were to go down, in order to repair it they would have to have a special town meeting, which would cost the town more money. He said this fund is set up just for maintenance.



David Pendell said that the Library Trustees decided not to rely on the town's maintenance account to replace items when they have reached the end of their life cycle. They would like to set up the account and they are not asking for any money this year. He said it would be the same as a capital reserve fund for fire apparatus or a police cruiser. He said maybe next year they would ask for $10,000 to put into this fund.



Peter Gilligan said that his only concern is that these funds, that we are establishing, have the potential of taking on a life of their own and when people see the money in the account, they will spend it.



Vote on Article 14 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



Motion to not reconsider Article 14: David Pendell

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Voted: Passed



15. Shall the Town adopt the provisions of RSA 202-A:4-D authorizing indefinitely, until specific rescission of such authority, the East Kingston Public Library Trustees to accept gifts of personal property, other than money, which may be offered to the library for any public purpose. No acceptance of any personal property under the authority of this article shall be deemed to bind the Town or the library trustees to raise, appropriate, or expend any public funds for the operation, maintenance, repair, or replacement of such personal property. Prior to the acceptance of any gift valued at over $5,000, the Library Trustees shall hold a public hearing on the proposed acceptance.

Motion made by Richard Poelaert

Seconded: Barbara Williams

Discussion:

Conrad Moses said that this article was already voted on in 1986 and that it was overlooked. He made a motion to withdraw the article.



Bart Mayer, Town Counsel, said that the law states that every article on the board has to go on the ballot either as written or amended. He said you could amend it to read, “Shall the town.” He said this would essentially make this irrelevant.



David Pendell made a motion to amend the article to read, “Shall the town.”

Seconded: Roby Day



David Pendell said he recently read all the town reports from 1991 – present. He called Ted Lloyd, who is the Chairman of the Library Trustees, as they were under the impression that this didn't exist. He said the town voted in favor of this in 1996. He said they would like to take it off because they don't want the town to vote against it and take away the privilege that they already have.



David Pendell said they could hopefully change their insert that goes in the town report in time to explain this but that an explanation can't go on the ballot.



Vote on amendment of Article 15 to read “shall the town.” Passed

Vote on approving Article 15 as amended “shall the town.” Passed



Motion to not reconsider Article 15: David Pendell

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Voted: Passed



16. On the petition of David Pendell and 24 other registered voters, of the Town of East Kingston, we the undersigned registered voters of East Kingston present the following petition of the Selectmen to have the following question placed on the 2010 warrant “Are you in favor of eliminating the position of full time fire chief under RSA 154:1 Organization, and return to a part time fire chief.”

Motion made by David Pendell

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Discussion:

David Pendell said that it was his opinion that the full-time fire chief position is not a warranted position for the town. He said he wrote the petition as a citizen and not as a selectman in hopes of saving some money on our taxes. He said they have parted ways with the former fire chief and over the last couple of weeks have been manning the station with an EMT. He said that if we man the station with an EMT, the cost to the town would be $20,000 a year and the savings would be $50,000 a year.



Phil Romando asked for an explanation of what the daily routine of a full time fire chief was but no one responded.



David Pendell said that the concern from the Selectmen side was that the town did vote in a full-time position so that somebody would be in the firehouse if there was a call. He said that in the Selectmen's minds, it did not specifically need to be somebody with the title of “fire chief”. He said it needed to be somebody that could respond to a call. He said because EMT's aren't full-time, we save on benefit packages.



Cathy Belcher asked if there was a cost with severing ties and negating a contract.



David Pendell said, at this time, there is no cost.



He said that this was a very long, drawn out process as they were affecting somebody's life, affecting the town, and the possibility of being sued. He said that he spoke to the Town Attorney back in August and asked if this was put forward what the implications would for the town would be. He said because the contract was written by the Board of Selectmen and it was never voted on by the legislative body, there should be no repercussions from that based on what we believe would be our position.



Diana Mazur asked if an EMT was staffing the firehouse right now. She asked what would happen if there was a fire call. She said an EMT has no fire experience at all. She said that the town is paying for an EMT and paying for a part-time fire chief. She said that the town is going to be paying double and that the fire chief does more than paperwork.



Edward Warren, acting Fire Chief, agreed with Diana Mazur that an EMT doesn't really fit the bill and couldn’t agree with her more. He said that the people that are filling the station right now are fire fighter II levels and higher. He said there is no question that there is any liability for the town. He said they have coverage for whatever comes up.



Susan Mazur said we went from a part-time fire chief to a full-time fire chief and we had ambulance coverage. She said that when we went to a full-time fire chief that the ambulance service was dropped. She said that we now want to go back to a part-time fire chief having no knowledge, as Mr. Pendell said, of what a fire chief does with no ambulance coverage. She said that they are leaving this town with a huge liability. She said that they are not looking out for the good of the community. She said that going backwards is not going to help because then we are going to be part-time and not going to have an ambulance service and that we don't have people that have all the years of experience.



Larry Bean asked Edward Warren how he felt about this article. Mr. Warren said that he didn't sign the petition. He said that there are no calls being missed and that nobody gets left out and that there is no risk of liability. He said that they are extremely diligent with everything they do. He said they turned back more than $37,000 to the town from last year's budget.



He said he does support this warrant article and the officers in the department support this warrant article.



Matthew Dworman said that Edward Warren was appointed as our interim Fire Chief as our former full-time fire chief's employment was terminated as of the beginning of this year. He said that Matthew Gallant is our deputy fire chief. He said that they have been working very diligently on the day-to-day operations of the Fire Department. He said regardless of the outcome of this vote, they will be going through the process of hiring a new chief in March.



No further discussion.

Vote on Article 16 to be placed on ballot as written: Passed



Motion to not reconsider Article 16: David Pendell

Seconded: Richard Poelaert

Voted: Passed



17. On the petition of Wyman E. Shuler and 26 other registered voters, of the Town of East Kingston, New Hampshire, we the undersigned registered voters of East Kingston hereby petition the Board of Selectmen to include as a Warrant Article at the 2010 Annual Town Meeting the following: “To see if the Town will vote to approve the following resolution to be forwarded to our State Representative(s), our State Senator, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President. Resolved: The citizens of New Hampshire should be allowed to vote on an amendment to the New Hampshire Constitution that defines “marriage.”

Motion made by David Pendell

Seconded: Dolores Scandurra

Discussion:

David Pendell said he didn't know Mr. Shuler and his position on defining marriage. Vytautas Kasinskas said that he didn't think these kinds of precedents should be established here.



Cathy Belcher said that the argument is if you don't make the decisions about some of the social issues then the court does or the governor does. She said it is giving the power back to the people.



Mark Cook motioned to amend Article 17 to read, “On the petition”

Seconded: Vytautas Kasinskas

Vote on amendment: Passed


Vote on warrant Article 17 so that it will read “On the petition”

Voted: Passed


Motion to adjourn: Mark Cook

Seconded: Phillip Marshall


Meeting adjourned at 9:22PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Barbara A. Clark, Town Clerk



*The following Articles were amended at the Deliberative Session: Article 2, Article 10, Article 15, and Article 17.

Local/New Hampshire Politics::

EK reduces its 2010 budget

East Kingston reduces its 2010 budget by $35K

East Kingston prepares for final vote on March 9


By Angela DiVeglia
newsletter@seacoastonline.com
February 12, 2010 2:00 AM

EAST KINGSTON — Voters had few changes to proposed town and school district warrant articles up for debate at deliberative sessions earlier this month.

At the town deliberative session on Feb. 2 there was a motion by Selectman Matthew Dworman to reduce the $2,575,000 operating budget for 2010 by $35,000.

"The amendment passed unanimously, and now our actual budget is less than our default (budget of $2,557,000)," said David R. Pendell, Jr.

Pendell said the decrease in budget was requested because the previous year's legal expenses were considered in the initial proposed budget. Since the budget was first drafted, those legal expenses have been settled.

Pendell also said that two of the warrant articles were completed eliminated.

Article 17, a petition submitted by Wyman E. Shuler and 26 other registered voters on defining "marriage" was eliminated. On the March 9 ballot it will state only "on the petition."

Article 15 was basically eliminated. It was amended to only state "shall the town."

Article 15 asks the town to adopt the provisions of RSA 202-A:4-D authorizing indefinitely, until specific rescission of such authority, the East Kingston Public Library Trustees to accept gifts of personal property, other than money, which may be offered to the library for any public purpose.

While there was clarification on some amendments during the Feb. 2 deliberative session, there was no heated debate.

In regards to the school district deliberative session on Feb. 1, Assistant Superintendent Tony Baldasaro said the session was about 18 minutes and peaceful.

Baldasaro both of the two articles passed with a unanimous vote.

Article 1, which is recommended by the School Board, asks voters to approve a $2,521,570 operating budget for 2010.

Article 2, which was also recommended by the School Board, asks voters to approve a collective bargaining agreement from Sept. 1, 2010 to Aug. 31, 2012.

The East Kingston Teachers' Association contract calls for zero salary increases for 2010-11 school year while providing a 2.25 percent increase for 2011-12.

School Board member Timothy Law said there was a very small difference between the operating budget and the default budget, which proves how lean the town intends on operating this year.

"I know we really had to sharpen our pencils, and I'm sure others are too," said Law.

School Board members want to see a positive vote March 9 on the budget and the teachers' contract, Nigrello said.

To view town warrant articles visit http://www.eastkingstonnh.org/docs/selectminutes/2010/2010warrantarticles.pdf.

To view the school district warrant online, visit http://www.sau16.org/schools/schoolboards/minutes/eastkingston/2010/EK%20warrant.pdf.

Local/New Hampshire Politics::

A Failure to Govern

A Failure to Govern

A cursory look at some budgetary worksheets that the East Kingston Selectmen have used over the years reveals inconsistencies that are proving to be very expensive for us taxpayers. A glaring distortion in financial management appears when one looks at town employee hourly rates and yearly salaries. It would appear that, with the retirement of a long-serving Assistant to the Selectmen in 2006, the hourly rates of pay for the remaining administrative assistants took a quantum jump that is out of proportion to the work and skills required to do the job. At about the same time, the Board of Selectmen decided to do away with a performance and salary review program that was linked to adjustments in compensation and benefits.

Being apprised of what on the face of it must be called financial mismanagement, concerned taxpayers, including myself, approached the selectmen to find answers to some difficult questions about the Board’s management and leadership practices. They were asked directly to provide solutions to correct the inconsistencies and inherent unfairness of some of their policies and practices.

Here, briefly, is what they agreed to do:

1. Publish as an integral part of the 2009 Town Report the salaries and hourly rates of all town employees. It is our expectation that the information would be included in the report each year.

2. Reinstitute the annual employee performance and salary review to better justify to voters any adjustments to wages and benefits.

3. Engage a disinterested, knowledgeable third party to conduct an audit of town employee job positions and compensation. Doing so would establish a more fair and equitable salary structure which the selectmen can in turn apply, as well as present to their constituency evidence of their good governance.

4. Reexamine their inadequate 2010 budget proposal presentation materials in time to provide voters at Deliberative Session with clear and unambiguous budget information. Transparency and completeness are necessary ingredients.

Despite today’s economic environment, the selectmen proposed for 2010 an increase in town employee salaries. Despite their having to work with a default budget from 2008, the selectmen proposed a 2010 budget that is $78,000 more than last year’s proposal. The voters said no at Town Meeting 2009. What do they expect to hear in 2010? It is my considered opinion that at the heart of the problem is the selectmen’s failing to be conversant with their duties and responsibilities to a degree necessary to obviate such distortions in finances, and their failing to do the homework involved. Bottom line? Selectmen constitute our governing body. Their job is to govern in our best interests, and it appears they haven’t done that of late.

James Roby Day, Former Selectman
East Kingston

Local/New Hampshire Politics::

Need for Transparency

Need for Transparency

Need for Transparency

I am sorry to say that my faith in our Board of Selectmen has been diminished. Before 1993 it was our practice to provide a Selectmen’s Report as a supplement within the Town Report. A clear and concise summary of how our tax dollars were spent was included in that report. It listed the annual salaries of every town employee and elected official. Since 1994, voters have been denied specific salary and expense information; the budget has become increasingly difficult to make sense of because generalized accounting masks much of the detail.

In an effort to shed more light on how our tax dollars were being spent, I asked the selectmen in the fall of 2008 to once again publish the town employee salary information in the Town Report. The Board of Selectmen verbally agreed to include it in the 2008 report. Unbeknownst to me, the selectmen subsequently changed their minds, and did not publish the requested information. In the fall of 2009, I repeated my request verbally, as well as in writing. I then received a letter from the Board of Selectmen agreeing to publish complete salary information in the 2009 Town Report. They have not, however, indicated how this information will be presented.

To further cloud the issue, a town resident recently had to use RSA 91-A (Right to Know Law) as authority to obtain specific budget information from the selectmen’s office. The selectmen produced the information, and in review, there appears to be some inconsistencies in how compensation has been reported. Discrepancies in some salaries have raised questions. In light of the selectmen having done away with the town’s annual performance and salary review procedures, it is difficult to understand how salary adjustments are decided. The selectmen have discarded what appeared to be a useful tool.

My confidence in the selectmen has been tempered in light of the vagueness of their proceedings and an unexpected lack of responsiveness when their policies and practices are called into question. The voters’ ultimate means to deal with such conduct is, of course, the ballot box. It is my opinion that it will be very difficult to undo the result of many years of mismanagement.

Henry F. Lewandowski, Jr.
East Kingston

Local/New Hampshire Politics::

Newfields, East Kingston host recounts

Newfields, East Kingston host recounts

Work-force housing vote stays the same

March 27, 2009 6:00 AM

East Kingston and Newfields recently conducted recounts on warrant articles with a close vote.

In East Kingston an amendment for work-force housing will be added to the town's ordinance following a recount on Tuesday, March 24 on the zoning article.

On March 10 the voting results of Article 10, adding the housing ordinance, consisted of 52 blank entries, 247 votes in favor and 247 opposition votes.

The recount vote consisted of 50 blank entries, 249 votes in favor of adoption and 247 votes opposed.

Philip Marshall, moderator assistant, Richard Poelaert, selectman, Matthew Dworman, selectman, Barbara Clark, town clerk, David Sullivan, planning board chairman, Edward Warren, planning board, Matthew Gallant, road agent, Deborah Gallant, administrative assistant I, and Cheryll Hurteau, administrative assistant II participated in the recount.

The recount was requested by 15 registered voters on March 16.

In Newfields a recount for the Board of Selectman race yielded the same results as the original vote.

Held on Monday, March 23 at 5 p.m. at the Town Hall, the recount declared Wes Moore the winner of the three-year seat on the Board of Selectman by a mere two votes.

Moore received 186 votes while competitor Ray Trueman garnered 184.

The third candidate, Eugene Perreault, received 37 votes.

Thirty-seven percent of registered voters turned out to the polls March 10 to vote on town and school spending, candidates and other warrant articles.

— Joshua Clark