GILFORD BUDGET COMMITTEE MINUTES
January 3, 2008
6:30 p.m.
Gilford Town Hall
Members Present: John O’Brien, Bob Brent, Sue Greene, Dick Hickok, Bill Phillips,
Margo Weeks, Gus Benavides, Dale Dormody, Terry Stewart,
Phyllis Corrigan and Skip Murphy
Members Absent: Doug Lambert
Also in attendance was School Superintendent Dr. Paul DeMinico, Assistant Superintendent for Business Scott Isabelle, Town Administrator Evans Juris, Assistant Town Administrator Debra Shackett and Recording Secretary Melinda Ferreira.
Several School District, School Board and staff members were also present at the meeting, in addition to Lou Athanas Jr. to speak on the subject of the GHS Football Warrant Article and Jackie Dreever who was present on behalf of a Robotics Warrant Article.
The Budget Committee recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Chairman Hickok welcomed the Committee to the evening’s meeting to prepare for the upcoming School and Town Public Hearings.
Chairman Hickok then turned the meeting over to Lou Athanas Jr. who was present to discuss the Petition Warrant Article to fund the GHS Varsity and JV Football team in the amount of $22,500. Discussion ensued over costs and revenues and how possible overruns and under budgeting would be handled. After further deliberation, Dale Dormody motioned to recommend the warrant article as written and was seconded by Bob Brent. Sue Greene was opposed. Skip Murphy abstained. Motion carried.
Moving onto discussion over the SAU office space proposals, Superintendent DeMinico then provided a PowerPoint presentation handout along with floor plan and $63,587 demo/renovation budget proposal to Committee members. He went on to discuss current space restrictions and lease terms, as well as his long terms space plans. He stated the Rowe house, Meadows, and Library were not viable options for various reasons, and that a 1959 wing (3 classroom section) in the GES building was the most logical and economical alternative at this time. Lengthy discussion ensued. Bob Brent and Terry Stewart asked about the possibility of staying where they currently were for an additional year. Selectman Benavides and Town Administrator Evans Juris declared that Town Hall departments were getting to a critical space crunch
scenario as well. Further discussion ensued. Some Committee members were uneasy about the large monetary cost of warrant articles and what that impact would be to the tax rate. Chairman Hickok suggested swapping perhaps the boiler warrant article for this office proposal amount ensued in order to receive the Budget Committee’s recommendation. The School Board is to meet next week on the issue as well; therefore Chairman Hickok stated the Committee will meet at 5:30pm next Thursday at the Gilford High School Auditorium before the Public Hearing begins to make a final vote on the matter, along with others.
Jackie Dreever then took to the podium to discuss the FIRST Robotics Warrant Article in the amount of $6,000. This worldwide program was originally funded for its first 2 years through NASA to get it off the ground and must now fund itself. They have so far raised $8,000 through fundraising, but need at least another $6,000 in order to just cover registration fees and program materials, including kits, for the upcoming Manchester, NH event. Discussion ensued over the children being personally invested in the program and it was stated that this was a good way to apply learning outside the classroom. Superintendent DeMinico was asked about including this amount into the School Budget for future years instead of in a warrant article. Ms. Dreever will be going before the School Board next week as well for their
recommendation and input. Discussion ensued.
Assistant Superintendent for Business, Scott Isabelle, then reiterated that for the Public Hearing the following week he would provide a revenue statement to Budget Committee members at the next meeting, and have copies of the default budget as well as a budget summary available at the hearing. There will be discussion followed by a Q&A period.
Lastly, the meeting moved onto a review of the Municipal Town Warrant Articles by Assistant Town Administrator Shackett. She distributed a working draft copy of the Town Meeting Warrant to Committee members and proceeded to elaborate on the thirty-one current articles. Deadline for warrant article submissions is January 8th. Discussion ensued.
Bob Brent motioned to approve the December 18, 2007 meeting minutes and was seconded by Sue Greene. Phyllis Corrigan, John O'Brien and Bill Phillips abstained. Motion carried.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Melinda N. Ferreira
Recording Secretary
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