Voters approved an amended budget of $375,128 at Sharon’s Town Meeting Tuesday night after two errors were encountered following the completion of the proposed final figure.
With the town in line for its full assessment this year, which is required at least every five years by the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration, the town needed to add $12,500 to the financial administration line to pay for the assessment. It was also determined that an additional $1,000 should have been added to the welfare line, bringing that total to $2,000 for the coming year. To offset the increase for the assessment, selectmen recommended tabling two warrant articles, one that would add $5,000 to the audit non-capital reserve fund and another that would increase the assessment reserve capital reserve fund by $7,500.
Residents approved motions to table the two articles, resulting in just a $1,000 increase to the amount voters were asked to approve on Tuesday.
“We need to spend that money this year for the assessing,” said Town Administrator Deb Harling. “So that’s why we had to table the articles and move the money into the budget.”
Despite a unanimous approval of the amended budget, it didn’t come without questions before a voice vote. The town contracts its police coverage with the Peterborough Police Department, which provided a figure of $93,491 for the coming year. There was concern about the high cost for the coverage, set the same as last year as the final amount was not available when the budget was put together, and whether the town had looked into other options. Previous conversations with bordering towns like New Ipswich and Jaffrey have resulted in a response that coverage in Sharon would be too much to take on.
“We’re just too far away from one end of town to another,” said Selectwoman Linda Paris, who retired at the conclusion of the meeting after not seeking reelection.
Using State Police is not an option and the sheriff’s department had been contracted in the past, but Peterborough has proven to be the best option, said Town Moderator Rory Goff. Goff explained the cost to contract with Peterborough equates to about one full-time officer, and does not include expenses that come with housing a jail, owning and maintaining a cruiser, insurance and retirement.
“It would probably cost two to three times that amount,” Goff said.
Last year, Peterborough Police made 417 responses and conducted 315 patrols in the town.
The proposed budget was down from last year and one reason was a decrease in the library services line. Sharon ended its contract with Peterborough Town Library in January, which cost $10,560 last year, and has discussed extensively with representatives from Jaffrey Public Library about the possibility of residents using its services. With an estimated annual fee of $3,750, Selectwoman Linda Paris said $4,000 was put into the budget to begin the conversation about how residents felt about contracting with Jaffrey. Near the end of the Town Meeting, voters approved the select board to enter a contract with Jaffrey.
“(Jaffrey) has offered basically the same services,” Goff said.
With Peterborough approving a $3 million bond for the town’s $8.5 million library renovation, Select Board Chair Carl Newton said the cost to Sharon could have increased significantly in the coming years.
“We’d be liable for our portion,” Newton said.
In the end, Jaffrey is seen as the best option.
“In our opinion, this is our best offer to save residents taxes,” Newton said. “(Jaffrey) saw no increases in the next five years – or significant ones.”
Some questioned whether the town could seek out other towns for services like recycling and ambulance coverage, but Newton said those were part of a package deal due to the police contract, but that the library was not part of that agreement.
“I’m delighted to hear that because we just saved about $8,000,” said resident Ted O’Brien.
Significant discussion centered around an article seeking $35,000 to be to the Highway Repairs Capital Reserve Fund. For resident Mark Fernald, it wasn’t about the amount being asked for voter approval, but how the money would be used and the process in which to use it.
Fernald said former town Road Agent Pete Paris was would come to Town Meeting with a specific plan for what funds would be used for.
“Then people had a chance to know what was in the works,” Fernald said.
With $80,000 in the highway budget, Newton said the money placed in the capital reserve fund would be there for larger projects, which would be recommended by the road agent when needed. The highway operating budget covers the cost for road grading and shimming, and pothole maintenance, among other yearly expenditures, Newton said.
While no project is imminent, Newton said Road Agent Tim Keenan has outlined Spring Hill Road, Temple Road and Nashua Road at the top of the list.
“This gives us something to work with,” Newton said.
Paris, who spent 17 years as road agent before retiring in 2013, agreed that the capital reserve fund amount should be approved, but that he liked giving residents a better idea of what the money would go toward.
“My thoughts were always to do a warrant article,” Paris said. “I thought it was always best to leave it to the people.”
Later in the meeting, Fernald proposed a vote that the select board not be able to use funds from the capital reserve for non-emergencies and non-budget overruns without a vote at Town Meeting. His proposal was defeated by a voice vote, which leaves the discretion to use funds in the hands of the select board as it sees fit.
“It just seems this is the wrong approach,” Fernald said during the initial discussion. “I don’t think the process is correct.”
Voters also approved: $18,332 to be used for the settlement of the Fairpoint Communication’s pole tax abatement litigation for tax years 2011-15; $5,000 for the town bridge capital reserve fund; $2,000 for welfare services non-capital reserve fund; and $2,500 for the legal expense capital reserve fund.