Approved Minutes of the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)

Temple Town Hall

June 25, 2024

 

Members present                                                                  Others present

(in alphabetical order)                                                            Sandra Rourke (DRA)

Steve Andersen                                                                        Ted Petro (select board)

Rae Barnhisel                                                                          

Charlene Eddy                                                                         

Brian Kullgren                                                                         

Paul Quinn

                                                                                               

Meeting called to order at 7:05 pm

 

A.     Presentation/Discussion with Sandra Rourke, NH Department of Revenue Administration. See attached materials. Discussions included setting the tax rate, state requirements for what is posted in the annual report and to what degree it is binding, when to start working on the following year’s budget, private donations to a town department, transferring funds across accounts and disclosure, funds for Tax Anticipation Notes (TANs), special warrant articles, powers of budget committees, and pros and cons of Senate Bill 2 (SB2).

 

B.     Minutes. June 11, 2024 meeting minutes prepared by Andersen were discussed and approved. Minutes from the May 28, 2024, meeting were discussed. Barnhisel will make specific revisions and have drafts available at the July 9, 2024 meeting.

 

C.     New business:

1.     With Sandra Rourke present, Barnhisel reported that documents that Rourke had sent to the BAC to Barnhisel’s home address on March 14 in anticipation of the upcoming annual meeting had not been delivered. Instead, the envelope had been rerouted through the Municipal Offices, opened and tampered with business cards of State Rep. Pierre Bruno added, and delivered to her on June 18th at a public meeting. Rourke confirmed she had sent the materials but had not included any business cards. Barnhisel’s letter to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service dated June 19, 2024, is attached. Rourke departed at 8:30 pm.

 

2.     Charlene Eddy provided the BAC with a copy of her letter to the members of the select board dated June 16. Her letter is attached.

 

3.     Petro reported that the contract for preparing the annual report was awarded to Sherry Fiske, select board member. Barnhisel requested the BAC be closely involved in preparing the annual report. Discussion followed on whether the annual report in its current format meets state requirements, contains pertinent financial and personnel information, and excludes cost-consuming trivia. The BAC will discuss the annual report in detail at a later date.

 

4.     Eddy reported that the select board has consistently asked for our purpose and is confused as to the BAC’s function. Members agreed to provide the BAC’s Mission Statement and List of Recommendations to Date with a cover letter to the select board at the July 8th joint meeting. Barnhisel will prepare the 3-page document and have members sign the letter before the meeting. Members agreed to limit the 30 minute discussion to the establishment of a timeline for department heads, select board members, and BAC members to discuss the following year’s budget, the need of the Account Detail on a regular basis, and the content of the annual report. Quinn suggested an email reminder.

 

5.     Members discussed the degree to which the taxpayers rely on the BAC to provide them with detailed and complete information. Quinn said the BAC’s purpose should be as a delegate on their behalf. Eddy asked that we review General Policy 4 of the draft Future Land Use Plan of the draft Temple Master Plan. See page 9:

Assure that the town’s government is conducted in an efficient and economical manner,
and in the best interest of its citizens.

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:35 pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Rae Barnhisel

July 9, 2024