Among several motions to amend the New Ipswich town warrant Tuesday night during the town’s deliberative session was one by Selectman Jason Somero to remove a total of $1,000 in small donations to regional health services, for what he termed “pushing an agenda.”
Attendees reviewed 15 articles on Tuesday, and despite more-significant changes, it was Somero’s proposal that drew the most comments.
Somero proposed removing donations of $500 each for Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, also known as CASA, and Monadnock Family Services. He said he had concerns about using town funds for donations to nonprofits in general, but specified those organizations because CASA had participated in Keene’s Pride celebrations and on its website Monadnock Family Services has an inclusivity statement that references “systemic racism” as a public health issue.
Somero said the town shouldn’t support organizations participating in what he termed “the culture war.”
“I understand the money here is paltry,” he said. “It’s totally symbolic.”
Finance Advisory Committee member Mitchell Gluck said the important thing to him was if those dollars were going to help his neighbors, saying if the money was being used to help his elderly neighbor stay in his home, he was satisfied with the purpose of the funds.
Moderator Bob Romeril determined a voice vote to be inconclusive, and called for a standing vote, after which he declared the amendment failed.
In the only amendment to pass which affected the bottom line of the article, residents approved changes to two capital reserve funds for the Fire Department, approving increases from $50,000 to $95,000 for the equipment reserve and from $20,0000 to $30,000 for the protective equipment reserve.
Fire Chief Meredith Lund explained that the cost for these items has risen steeply in the past few years, and the projected amounts needed to be stored away each year to keep up.
Resident David Lage attempted to amend the articles related to road work. The town has two articles, one for $350,000 and the other for $250,000, for road reconstruction and repair. One of the articles included the word “maintenance,” which Lage argued should be limited to the operating budget.
Select Board Chair Shawn Talbot said the town had not previously used those funds for maintenance, but for major road construction or reconstruction. Romeril ruled that eliminating the word would change the intent of the article, which is not allowed during deliberative session, and did not allow a vote.
The crowd did not offer any amendments to the proposed budget of $3.25 million, up from the current year’s $2.88 million budget. Resident Jamie Kizner questioned how the board could justify cost-of-living adjustments of 7 percent.
Talbot said the town had looked at other surrounding towns, who have offered increases to employees ranging between 7 and 12 percent. New Ipswich has a low base rate of pay compared to some of its area competitors, Talbot said, and it is a priority to maintain workers.
“We do realize the big ask,” Talbot said, adding the budget included a lot of fixed costs, which had risen with inflation, to maintain the status quo, including increases in fuel, electricity, health care and retirement.
The crowd agreed to two other cosmetic changes to warrant articles to correct language, but allowed the rest of the warrant to move to the ballot unchanged.
A complete list of warrant articles is available on the town’s website, newipswichnh.gov.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924- 7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.