VILLAGE DISTRICT OF
EIDELWEISS
Public Hearing on the Budget
January 18, 2019
The
Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on the 2019 budget at 7:00 pm on Friday,
January 18, 2019. In attendance were
Commissioners Mike Smith, Ralph Lutjen and Ron Sandstrom.
At 7:00 pm
the meeting was called to order by Chairman Mike Smith.
Ralph Lutjen makes a motion to open
the public hearing. Ron Sandstrom
seconds. Motion passed 2-0.
Mike Smith
outlines the rules for the meeting. All comments
and questions are to be related to the article discussed.
Commissioners
overview of the 2019 Warrant is highlighted by Ralph Lutjen.
At 7:07 pm Ron Sandstrom makes a
motion to open the bond hearing on the proposed bond for a new truck. Ralph Lutjen seconds. Motion passed 3-0.
Review of
need for new truck. F-550 at end of
useful life.
Question on
outfitting of new truck. Included in
quote.
Question on
repairing the truck instead of replacing.
Question on
warranty for new truck – 3 years.
Discussion
on increase in ability with purchase of heavier duty truck.
Concern
stated for cost of truck.
Discussion
on running equipment into the ground prior to replacing is held. Need for reliable equipment during a snow
storm is outlined.
Wear and
tear on the truck is outlined.
Number of
days out of service are questioned – will be looked into.
At 7:31 pm Ralph Lutjen makes a
motion to close the hearing on truck bond for Article 2. Ron Sandstrom seconds. Motion passed 3-0.
At 7:31 pm Ralph Lutjen makes a
motion to open the bond hearing on the proposed bond for replacing the Reinach
tanks. Ron Sandstrom seconds. Motion passed 3-0.
Review of need
for replacing two 30,000-gallon tanks at Reinach; both tanks failed inspection
in 2018 and are not candidates for lining.
Highlight
and review of replacement plan with one 90,000-gallon concrete tank. Storage needs outlined. Inclusion of Reinach Pressure Zone with this
project is outlined.
Discussion
on cost is held.
Highlight
of lack of approval of funding as an impact on bid process.
Question on
Board having faith in Fluet Engineering.
Outline that financing was major hold up for contractors.
Outline
that Paul Fluet will be at Annual Meeting.
Discussion
on engineering for the District and possible use of other engineers going forward.
Question on
access to Reinach Place during construction.
Will be open. Steel tanks will be
removed after construction of the new tank.
Discussion
on re-opening bid process prior to proposing project is held.
At 7:56 pm Mike Smith makes a motion
to close the hearing on water bond for Article 3. Ralph Lutjen seconds. Motion passed 3-0.
Article 4 –
DPW electrical upgrades
Review of
need for upgrading electrical system at DPW and correct code violations.
Discussion
on code violations.
Discussion
on need for upgrades.
Highlight
of importance of DPW well reliability for proper functioning of the water
system.
Review of
electrical upgrades including lightening protection, meters, VFD addition and
code corrections including proper grounding and surge protection.
Question on
funding. Discussion on use of approved
bond funds from last year.
Article 5 –
Summit pump house electrical upgrades
Review of
need for upgrading electrical system at Summit Pump House.
Discussion
on code violations.
Discussion
on need for upgrades.
Highlight
of impact to the water system users should this pump house go down for
electrical issues.
Question on
funding. Discussion on use of approved
bond funds from last year.
Article 6 –
Chocorua Pump House upgrades
Review of
need for project to be completed.
Discussion
on code violations.
Discussion
on need for upgrades.
Highlight
of impact to the water system users should this pump house be out of service.
Question on
funding. Discussion on use of approved
bond funds from last year.
Article 7 –
Highway/Operation budget reviewed and discussed. Operational budget for the water system is
also reviewed.
Line items
reviewed and discussed.
Ralph
Lutjen outlines self-insurance of deductible/full exposure is budgeted.
Discussion
on impact of bonds on the budget.
Question on
self-insuring the deductible and savings it has created.
Questions
reviewed.
Discussion
on capital reserve fund expenditures.
Article 8 –
York Rake Replacement
Review of
article.
Current
rake is not operational. Rake is used
regularly during spring and summer by the DPW to smooth roads. Rake is also used after road grading to
remove rocks brought to surface during grading.
Article 9 –
Asphalt road repairs
Review of
need to keep roads in travelable condition until rebuilt.
Specific
work to be done through this article includes Aspen, Klausen, Chocorua View and
Eidelweiss Drive from entrance to DPW II.
Discussion
on putting these articles into the budget is held
Article 10
– Gravel road repairs
Review of
need to keep roads in travelable condition.
Specific
work to be done through this article includes Klausen, Upper Lakeview and
Aspen.
Article 11
– Thusis culvert replacement
Review of
work to be completed, project to maintain 100% on VDOE property.
Discussion
on amendment to proposed project at 2018 Annual Meeting. Project was not able to be completed as
amended. Engineering required to review
the amendment and then to amend the project.
Comment on
project cost versus engineering costs is made.
Reduced
construction cost with DPW doing the work is outlined.
Article 12
– Grandval and Burgdorf engineering
Review of
article and engineering needed to update the roads to Class V standards.
Discussion
on Class V standard for VDOE. Document
is available on the website.
Recommendation
for removal of this article is made.
Article 13 –
Water Budget
Line items
reviewed and discussed.
Article 14
– Muddy Beach Tank Replacement
Article
reviewed.
Replacement
of 5,000-gallon tank for water storage.
Comment
that concrete 5,000-gallon tank available for $10,000 less than this quote is
made.
Article 15
– Upper Lakeview/Rigi
Article
reviewed.
Question on
if this project was included in proposed updates under Article 2 – this will be
checked.
Article 16
– Water tank CRF deposit
Statement
on funding CRF.
Comment on
use of fund for Article 14
Article 17
– Water System Pipe CRF deposit
Statement
on funding CRF
Article 18
– Water System CRF withdrawal
Replacing
the $42,000 withdrawn during the 2017 audit process.
Commissioners
intent to re-deposit the funds in 2018 was denied by the NH Department of
Revenue (DRA) as voter approval is required for deposits to a CRF.
Received
petition articles are reviewed.
Petition to
appropriate $6 for executive salaries. This is a budget line item and should be
addressed during the operational budget discussion.
Petition to
have employees pay 10% of health insurance premiums in 2019 and 20% in all
subsequent years. Petition is advisory
as employee matters are under control of the Commissioners; not the Legislative
Body.
Petition to
transfer unspent $141,695.14 from 2018 Article #2 to the water system CRF.
Petition will require a 2/3 majority to pass.
Petition to
limit number of Commissioners as voting members of any committee to not greater
than 1/3 of committee. Petition is
advisory as committee size and members are determined by the Commissioners, not
the Legislative Body.
Petition to
name voters as agents to expend on all CRF except Water Line Extension Fund.
Petition to
place $42,000 in the Water System CRF from Unassigned Fund Balance. Petition is a duplicate of Article 18.
Petition to
have draft minutes posted within 5 days of a meeting and approved minutes
posted within 24 hours. Petition is
advisory as no requirement exists to post minutes.
Petition to
place $250,000 in the Water System CRF with funds to be raised by
taxation. Outline that this petition
will add more than $2.50 per thousand valuation to the tax rate is made; the
2018 tax rate would have been over $8.60 per thousand with this petition.
Ralph Lutjen makes a motion to
close the public hearing and adjourn the meeting. Ron Sandstrom seconds. Motion passed 3-0.
Respectfully
submitted,
Nancy E.
Cole
Administrator
