BRISTOL — Voters at town meeting approved a $7,179,892 budget, representing a 10 percent increase, or $653,148 more than the town spent in 2020.
Not all of that increase will show up in higher taxes this year. Prior to the budget amendments, Selectman Don Milbrand said the tax increase if all items passed would be $118,000, a 2.6 percent increase. Still, coupled with a $1,279,693, or 9 percent, increase in the assessment to the member towns in the Newfound Area School District, taxpayers can expect a significant property tax increase this year.
The operating budget proposed by the Bristol Budget Committee was $6,993,714, but that figure was reduced by $2,000 because, with the defeat of Article 2 on the March 9 ballot, the special election that would have been required to seat a town charter commission is no longer necessary.
Chris Dolloff then proposed an amendment to add $3,850 to the budget to allow the fire department to purchase an inflatable rescue boat which would be available to assist in ice rescues. No one spoke against the purchase, but some questioned whether the money should come instead from the fire equipment capital reserve fund, which would not require increasing the budget for the purchase. A separate warrant article allowed the selectmen to act as agents to spend money from that fund. Former Selectman Rick Alpers argued against that approach, however, supporting a budget increase to “keep things simple.” The amendment passed on a 65-21 hand vote.
The amended budget figure of $6,995,564 easily passed on a voice vote.
All of the other warrant articles also passed, although not without some discussion.
Articles 11 and 12 addressed the installation of a solar power array to serve the wastewater treatment plant, with the first giving selectmen permission to enter into an electricity purchase agreement with BP Bristol, LLC, and the second allowing the company to lease two parcels of town-owned land for the construction of the solar array.
Paul Bemis, chair of the Bristol Energy Committee, said purchasing power from BP Bristol would save the town an estimated $3,000 per year over the cost of electricity from Eversource, which also requires paying a delivery fee to cover the transmission network and stranded costs. The solar array would feed directly to the wastewater treatment facility. On days when the solar panels are unable to supply enough electricity, the town would draw from Eversource’s power grid, but on days when the sun provides more power than the town can use, it would sell that power into the grid at a rate set by the Public Utilities Commission.
Bemis said that, in the future, the town might be able to add batteries to store electricity to reduce its reliance on the power grid and serve in the even that the grid went down. Having its own power also would allow the water-sewer building to serve as a place to go in an emergency, he said.
Boake Morrison asked several questions about the arrangement before commenting, “It’s wonderful in one sense, but we’re changing things for this town with new ideas. It will be wonderful if they work, but if they don’t, will you refund us the money?”
John Sellers brought up concerns about the “greenness” of green energy, referring to the documentary “Planet of the Humans” that examines the damage to the environment from mining the needed rare earth elements and minerals, as well the reliance of fossil fuels to extract and manufacture solar panels and wind towers. “These panels are not as green-friendly as we think,” he said, pointing out that they need to be replaced, and “the cost of getting the materials out of the ground … we use more fossil fuels than we would if we didn’t put up the panels.”
Sellers also pointed out that the agreement would tie up the property for 25 years.
Ernie Richards asked about the solvency of the company and asked what would happen if the company failed.
Those are details that would be included in the contract, and the planning board could require a performance bond, officials said.
Outgoing chair Wayne Anderson explained why he had abstained on the selectmen’s vote on the project. The payback is estimated to be 18 years, he said, while electric rates have not been increasing and inflation remains low. “I decided to leave it to the common sense of the people,” he said.
In the end, the first article was approved by a 68-16 vote and the second passed on a voice vote.
Other articles that easily passed were the $25,000 contingency fund; the closing of the Bicentennial Fund which will transfer about $10,000 to the general fund; allowing selectmen to spend money from the fire department capital reserve fund; spending $150,000 to erect a salt and sand shed; a $93,280 lease-to-own agreement for new police radios; placing $40,000 into the police cruiser capital reserve fund; and making a technical adjustment to property on Fox Run.
There was some debate about continuing to set aside $10,000 for fireworks over Newfound Lake when most of the people benefiting from the display are lake residents, many of whom live in other towns. The now-defunct Newfound Region Chamber of Commerce used to raise money through a fireworks appeal, then a group of citizens took over the fundraising, and finally it fell to the town to collect the money through taxation. In recent years, public safety regulations have limited the location of the display and closed nearby streetside parking, so most residents are unable to see the fireworks they are paying for.
Bemis pointed out that fireworks cause pollution and said, “We’re burning money, literally. … Should we be doing it at all, and should we as taxpayers be funding it?”
Others supported the expenditure for patriotic reasons and because it could bring people into town to support local businesses.
Former selectman Paul Manganiello said a fund was established last year that would allow people to donate toward the fireworks, but said they need seed money to get it up and running.
The expenditure passed on a voice vote.
There also was a great deal of discussion on an article seeking $85,000 to purchase a horizontal bailer and skid steer, and to construct a building to hold cardboard for recycling. Only $22,500 would come from taxation with the remainder coming from the transfer station revolving fund and the highway department capital reserve fund. Selectmen said they would look for grants to reduce the amount the town has to pay.
Officials explained that the main goal is to reduce the amount of garbage that is being hauled away at high rates, while gaining some income from the sale of cardboard. The more-expensive horizontal bailer that is proposed will allow the town to eventually bail plastic and aluminum as well as cardboard, and to have a single operator to keep labor costs down. Having a storage building will allow the town to hold onto the cardboard and take advantage of the times when cardboard fetches the highest price.
Walter Waring, one of the budget committee members who voted against supporting the article, said it should have been part of the transfer station upgrade three years ago. “If this comes up so quick after that was completed, it shows poor planning,” he said. “If we’ve got money to spend, there are other places that are more important, such as the safety of our police officers. I don’t want to see a policeman hurt in that police station.”
The article passed on a voice vote.
Milbrand attempted to increase the amount of money being set aside in capital reserve funds, originally proposing an increase from $70,000 to $145,000, with part of that going into the fire department capital reserve account. Moderator Edward “Ned” Gordon, consulting with the town attorney, ruled that portion of the amendment out of order because the fire fund had not been listed in the original warrant article. Milbrand reintroduced his amendment to add $25,000 to the highway capital reserve fund, bringing that amount to $50,000 and the total appropriation to $95,000.
Milbrand said the town had projected fewer revenues in 2021 because of the pandemic, but the latest forecasts are looking better, so he felt comfortable putting more money away in capital reserve accounts.
Waring objected to the increase, pointing to the financial hardships many people are experiencing right now.
Capital reserve accounts are intended to build up money over the years so that, when major purchases are needed, the money is on hand. Detractors object, saying today’s taxpayers should not be paying for future expenses they may not live to see, and that the money might better be used for today’s needs.
Voters defeated Milbrand’s amendment, 30-40, and went on to approve the article as originally written.
Waring also voiced opposition to an article that would reduce the number of people serving on the planning board from seven to five, arguing that “the more people who express their opinions, the better the answer will be.” He added, “Don’t give up government to a select few.”
Milbrand said that reducing the number of members will serve the public better in the end because it is hard to fill the board and, right now, it is two members short. “The reason [for approving the change] is that it’s not fair to an applicant to spend money and come to a meeting to find it’s canceled because of no quorum.”
The article passed.
Before adjourning, the meeting recognized outgoing selectman Wayne Anderson and recalled the contributions of the late David Carr, who had served on the budget committee for 33 years, and the late Paul Simard, who had served in the New Hampshire Legislature and was a frequent critic of town government. Newly elected selectman Shaun Lagueux offered thanks to all town employees and officials who had seen the town through a difficult year.
