Town of Derry
Town Council Meeting	April 8, 2008
Derry Municipal Center	Tuesday 6:30 p.m.
Staff Present: Chief Garone, Captain Feole, Lt. Twist, Sean Fichera, David Gomez, Barbara Chapman, Pat Milone, Jill McLaughlin, Frank Childs, Janice Mobsby, Mark Fleicher Town Administrator Stenhouse and Town Clerk Denise Neale-recording Roll Call: Chairman Metts, Councilors Coyle, Fairbanks, Benson, Carney, and Wetherbee (Councilor Chirichiello-absent) Notice of Fire Exits & Handicap Access, turn off cell phones and pagers BUDGET REVIEW Police Chief Garone gave his overview of the department. Their budget is 93% personnel. No major programs that is different from the past. Councilor Coyle questioned witness fee drop in projected revenue for FY09. Councilor Benson questioned PD lease revenue. (Frank Childs explained) Line Item 110: Councilor Coyle asked how many Police Officers there were. Chief Garone replied 58 and 1 opening unfilled. Councilor Coyle made a motion to not fill any vacant positions for 30 days until the budget session was over. There was discussion and amendments to this motion. (No second or vote) Town Administrator Stenhouse will have a list of regular position vacancies for Council at their next meeting. Councilor Coyle motioned to table this discussion until Thursday, April 10, 2008. Discussed Line item 140 – Overtime Moved by - Councilor Carney to reduce line item 140 by $50,000, seconded by Councilor Fairbanks. Vote: 3-3-0 (Wetherbee, Benson, and Metts) Failed Moved by - Councilor Coyle to reduce line item 140 by $25,000, seconded by Councilor Fairbanks. Vote: 6-0-0 Moved by - Councilor Coyle to reduce line item 190 by $10,000, seconded by Councilor Fairbanks Vote: 5-1-0 (Metts) Moved by- Councilor Coyle to reduce line item 291 by $2500 for Forensic Science Course for 8 Officers instead of 10, seconded by Councilor Fairbanks. Vote: 4-2-0 (Carney, Metts) Flagged –Line item 610 Arson Investigator’s Safety Gear Moved by - Councilor Coyle to reduce line item 690 by $10,050 for - Tasers & Ballistic Shields and purchase from FY08 budget, Seconded by Councilor Fairbanks. Vote: 4-2-0 (Wetherbee, Metts) Councilor Coyle moved to reduce the Police Departments bottom line by $75,000 to be taken from the Personnel Service area, Seconded by Councilor Fairbanks. Withdrawn Councilor Carney prefers to see the open positions with roll-ups included first. Move to Table by Councilor Carney reduction of the $75,000 from PD Personnel Service Area until the information on personnel is received on Thursday, seconded by Councilor Fairbanks. Vote: 6-0-0 Council requested a list of all open positions with benefits included for a total figure on these positions. Flagged – Personnel Service Area Chief Garone stated he would not come to Council and recommend the elimination of a Police Officer. He requested that if the department needed to make a cut that the department is allowed to make that decision without eliminating a position. Councilor Coyle moved the Police Department bottom line of $7,664,453 subject to the flagged items, seconded by Councilor Carney. Vote: 6-0-0 Animal Control Line item 110 - Councilor Coyle asked Chief Garone questions regarding the Animal Control officer’s duties and hours. Capt. Thomas answered Councils questions regarding this department. Move by - Councilor Coyle to Table the Animal Control Department and the reduction of one position contingent upon information of how other Towns Animal Control Departments work, seconded by Councilor Carney. Vote: 6-0-0 Assessing David Gomez gave an overview of his department’s activities referred to revenue item # 031850 -Timber Tax Councilor Coyle asked for an explanation of Line item#312 Councilor Carney moved the Assessing Department bottom line of $612,636 - Seconded by Councilor Coyle. Vote: 6-0-0 Councilor Coyle asked for the balance of Capital Reserve Funds and a statement of outstanding Bond Debt. Would like to know when each bond will expire. Frank Childs will have it available for Council for Thursday’s meeting. Tax Collector Pat Milone explained that the revenue was less due to the economy. Move by - Councilor Carney to reduce revenue #032202 by $50,000, seconded by Councilor Fairbanks. Vote: 0-6-0 Councilor Benson asked to flag this revenue #032202 and revisit in May before finalizing the budget. Councilor Carney questioned as to what bills can be paid online. Pat Milone explained the issues at hand regarding payments online for Tax Bills, and other payments. Councilor Coyle moved the Tax Collector bottom line of $714,104 - subject to the flagged item, seconded by Councilor Fairbanks. Vote: 6-0-0 Human Services Jill McLaughlin gave an overview of the Department’s necessities. Increase of 23% for Agency Requests by the Agency Review Committee for assistance to Derry Residents. Councilor Carney questioned the decrease in line item 810. Jill McLaughlin gave the actual to date expenses. Council reviewed the Agency Review Committee’s request. Janice Mobsby gave an explanation of the CART program. There was a lengthily discussion by Council, Janice Mobsby and Jill McLaughlin regarding the increase in this program. Staff was asked to find out whether other communities were requested to increase their budget and what action had been taken by other Towns on that request. Councilor Coyle questioned the increase for the Upper Room. Jill McLaughlin and Janice Mobsby explained the increase. Chairman Metts asked for an explanation of the Adult Service program. Councilor Coyle moved the Human Service bottom line of $538,932 - subject to the flagged CART program in the Agency Review Committee recommendation, seconded by Councilor Carney. Vote: 6-0-0 Finance Frank Childs presented the Finance Budget with a note to the Revenue side that there was nothing new to report. Councilor Benson asked for an explanation of item #301. Frank Childs gave an explanation of the new audit control compliance requirements and a general statement regarding the Town’s current audit situation. Councilor Carney moved the Finance bottom line of $652,453 –seconded by Councilor Coyle. Vote: 6-0-0 Other Municipal Obligations Frank Childs gave an overview of the Revenues and an explanation of how the revenues were calculated. Councilor Coyle questioned projected actual of $56,720 on Line item #190. Frank Childs explained the calculation involved in retirement benefits. Councilor Coyle questioned line #290. Frank explained retiree benefits. Councilor Coyle asked questions regarding the bonds for the Route 28 Corridor TIF Improvements, Highway Garage & Exit 4A since there is no interest included in the FY09 proposed budget. Frank Childs explained that they are not issuing the bond this year. Councilor Coyle asked for discussion on the TIF Bond regarding issuance of this bond. Frank Childs stated that the timetable for this process is contingent upon Mike Fowler obtaining final state approval for the planned improvements and other information relating to property “taking”. The numbers and proposal will not be ready until late summer or early fall. Feels it would be better to do a supplemental appropriation at that time. Councilor Coyle asked if it should be budgeted in FY09. Frank Childs doesn’t feel that should be done at this point. Councilor Coyle moved the Other Municipal Obligations bottom line of $3,644,175 subject to flagged item #980 TIF Bond, seconded by Councilor Carney. Vote: 6-0-0 Council approved moving the Thursday, April 10, 2008 & Thursday April 17, 2008 budget workshops to start at 7:00 p.m. Adjourned at 10:05 p.m. Recording Clerk, Denise Neale