Annual report of the Town of Rollinsford, New Hampshire

2008·3.3 MB·English

by  Rollinsford (N.H. : Town)

ANNUAL REPORTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2007

ANNUAL REPORTS
TOWN OF ROLLINSFORD,
N.H.
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER
31,
2007
INDEX
Dates to Remember Inside Back Cover
Telephone Numbers Inside Back Cover
Town Office Hours 3
Selectmen's Report 5
Tov\m Officials and Boards 7
Detailed Statement of Expenses 10
Summary of Proposed 2008 Municipal Budget 18
2007 Property Tax Summary 22
Summary of Inventory and Tax Analysis 46
Tov/n Clerk's Report 46
Trust Funds 47
Summary of Town-Owned Vehicles & Equipment 48
Summary of Town-Owned Property 48
2008 Bond Schedule 50
Auditor's Report 51
Police Department 54
Fire Department 53
Recreation Department 55
Public Libarary Trustees Report 56
Rollinsford Cemetery Trustees Report 2007 59
Forest Fire Warden and State ForestRanger 61
Rollinsford Transfer Station 60
Recycling Committee Report 60
Historical Committee 57
Rollinsford Water and Sewer District Minutes of Annual Meeting 63
Rollinsford Sewer District Proposed Budget 65
School District
School Administrative Unit No. 56 68
Enrollment 69
Report of the Principal 69
Minutes of the School District Meeting 71
Officers and Staff 72
Report of Salaries 73
Rollinsford Education Founation 75
Family Fun Day 75
Minutes ofAnnual Town Meeting - March 24,2007 76
Registered Births 88
Registered Marriages 89
Registered Deaths 90
TOWN OFFICE HOURS
P.O. Box309
667MainStreet, Rollinsford, NH03869
603-742-2510
TOWN CLERK TAX COLLECTOR
-
Monday,Tuesday, Wednesdayand Friday
9:00a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Thursday
3:00 p.m. to7:00 p.m.
SELECTMEN'S OFFICE
isopenforgeneral businessbyappointmentonly
ROLLINSFORD TRANSFER STATION
HOURS OF OPERATION*
WINTERHOURS
Monday 7:00 a.m.to 11:00a.m.
Wednesday 7:00a.m.to 12:00noon
Saturday 8:00a.m. to2:00 p.m.
SUMMERHOURS
FirstMonday in Mayto FirstMonday in October
Monday 7:00 a.m.to 10:00a.m.
MondayEvening 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday 7:00a.m.to 12:00noon
Saturday 8:00a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
^Scheduleofoperating hourssubjecttoweatherconditions.
Holidayadjustmentsorshut-downstobe postedattheTransferStation.
ROLLINSFORD WATER AND SEWER
OfficeislocatedatTreatmentPlant
P.O. Box174
Clerk/Billing-Tuesdayand Friday 11:00a.m. to4:00p.m.
ChiefOperator-MondaythroughFriday 7:00a.m.to3:00p.m.
742-8124
WEB
SITE: www.rollinsford.nh.us/
PLEASE POST BY YOUR TELEPHONE

SELECTMEN'S REPORT
Looking Back:
In March 2007 voters approvedfourcapital budgetItemsthatwere completed
during the year: 1) a sidewalk on South Street bebA^een Front Street and Fourth
Street, 2) a new highwaytruck and snow plowwith sander, 3) a used pickuptruck
for the Fire Department and 4) a new gravel parking lot at the Fire Station to
replace parking area taken for the fire station addition. The new equipped high-
waytruck came in under budgetat$96,821 andthe oldtruckwassoldfor$7,000
in February 2008. The other "rtems came in on budget
Budget authorization for demolition of the Old Redmen's Club building and
authorization for sun/ey and legal cost required to place conservation easements
on Scoutland were not undertaken because proposed costs exceeded budget
appropriations. The 2007 budget appropriations were held in liabilities at the end
of 2007 and additional budget requests for these two Items appear in the 2008
Town Warrant.
Looking Ahead:
As in 2007, the 2008 Town Warrant presents voters with several important
We
decisions thatwill impact 2008 tax rates and town development in the future.
encourage residents to review the School and Municipal Warrants posted in the
Town Hall, the School, the Post Office, and on the Town Web site
(www.rollinsford,nh.us/). Articles l-IV will bevoted on by ballot atthe Town Hall on
March 11 between 10AM and 7PM. The remaining Articleswill be acted on atthe
business session of the Town Meeting on Saturday, March 15 at the Rollinsford
Grade School starting at9AM. Voterswho cannotvote on thefirstfonrArticles on
March 11, mayvote by absentee ballot obtained from the Town Clerk.
Article II proposed by the Planning Board to amend zoning ordinance is
essentiallythe sameasthe2007 warrantArticleVI thatfailedto pass. This amend-
ment places limits on some commercial and multiple family uses in the Subur-
ban Residential zones and the Countryside Residential zone.
Article III proposed by the Planning Board is essentially a minor housekeep-
ing correction that clarifies the difference between a home occupation and a
home business as related to the number of permitted children in a child care
operation.
Article IV is a petitioned Article, which is essentially the same as Article V in
the2007warrantthatwas defeated bythevoters. The Planning Boardvoted notto
support this proposed Article after a public hearing was held as required by law.
This Article will permit the estat>lishment of single house lots that are accessed
by private shared din/eways, instead of on class V roads as is currentiy required.
The Selectmen oppose Article IV as petitioned because the Planning Board has
not analyzed the full consequences of this change in the zoning ordinance.
Preliminary analysis bythe Board of Selectmen indicates that up to 250 new
buildable lots would become possible immediately in Rollinsford on private
shared driveways. This number would represent neariy a 30% increase in single
family units. Currently, the Planning Board has not established standards for
private shared driveways in the Subdivision Ordinance. The rate of growth could
increase rapidly in the next few years. Public safety issues, impacts on shcools,
and public service impact must be researched and understood. Impacts on as-
sessed land values could force premature development. The Selectmen feel it is
not appropriate to pass this Article before analysis of the environmental, fiscal,
and quality of life issues in the Town are completed. Rollinsford is unique be-
cause of open space and small town amenities. A mistake in planning could lead
to many unanticipated consequences that could not be corrected later. A rush to
change our land use ordinances is unwise and unnecessary.
The proposed 2008 Municipal Budget calls for a total appropriation of
$1,919,984($1,276,184 for the operating budget and $643,800 for capital items).
The proposed increase of$145,677 in the municipal budgetis offset by a revenue
increase of $146,597. Thus, the municipal tax rate is not expected to increase.
Employee benefits-health insurance, retirement contributions, fuel costs and
a $25,000 increase in the contingency line item accounts for most ofthe $65,550
increase in the operating budget.
The police budget calls for the Police Chief to retire in June and return as
Chief for 30 hours per week without health insurance offered by town. A new
fulitime patrolman position is also proposed beginning in June 2008. The
additioinal cost of the new patrolman's position would be offset by reductions in
the Police Chief salary and reductions in part-time salaries and the overtime line
item made possible by the addtional partrolman. In the 2009 budget the salary
budget would increase about $10,000 when the new patrolman's position re-
quires financing for the full year.
The $82,500 increase in the capital budget reflects 2 new capital items for
2008. first, Article XIX proposes an appropriation of $225,000 to finance a new
equipment building and a salt shed to be built near the transfer station building
on Jesse Doe Road. This would be financed v^ith funds taken from the Highway
Building Fund and town surplus. This item will be paid for with available funds,
thus no bonding will be required. The second new capital item (Article XX) re-
quests a $128,000 appropriation to renovate the leaking Town Hall tower, which
needs some significant repairs. Funds from the surplus is also proposed as the
means to finance this cost. If the Highway Building is authorized by the Town
Meeting, the present Highway Building and its lot on Silver Street would be sold
and the revenue used to replace funds withdrawn from the surplus fund.
Article XXIII is a petition warrant article that calls for changing the name of
Ross Road back to Old Wentworth Pasture. The Selectmen feel that any new
street name that includes the name Wentworth is inappropriate for safety rea-
sons. Rollinsford alreadyhas an existing house on a right ofway calledWentworth
Street that is recognized by the 911 system. The 911 system opposes establish-
ing more than one street in a town that includes part of a name used elsewhere
in town, because of possible confusion in dispatching fire, police and ambulance
response in time of emergency
Again Selectmen wish to recognize the many hours of sen/ice provided by
unpaid volunteers who serve on Boards and Committees in the Town. Likewise,
we recognized the contributions ofthe Police, Fire, Highway, Transfer Station and
administrative employees.
TOWNOFFICIALSANDBOARD
SELECTMENANDOVERSEERSOFTHEPOOR TERMEXPIRES
Albert Dionne 2008
Edmund F. Jansen, Jr. 2009
Nathaniel Leach 2010
TOWNCLERK
Charlsse Baker 2008
TOWNTREASURER
Richard Wasson 2008
CHIEFOFTHERREDEPARTMENT
Harry Knowles 2008
REPRESENTATIVETOTHEGENERALCOURT
Michael Rollo 2008
SUPERVISORSOFTHECHECKLIST
Mona Patterson (resigned) 2012
Nancy Dionne (resigned) 2010
Gailann St.Hilaire 2008
MODERATOR
Joseph E. Caouette 2008
BUDGETCOMMTFTEE
Frank Rosselli 2008
Jodi Games 2008
Richard Wasson 2008
Carlton Spencer 2009
Gregory Cordeiro 2009
Paul Turgeon 2009
Stephen Ross 2010
Michelle Small 2010
Howard Hammond 2010
TRUSTEESOFTRUSTFUNDS
Richard Salvati 2008
Michael Rollo 2009
Charles Putnam 2010
TRUSTEESOFUBRARYTRUST
Sandra Bonin 2008
Salme Perry 2009
Michael Rollo 2010
STRAFFORDCOUNTYREGIONALPLANNINGBOARD
Edmund F. Jansen, Jr. 2009
John Hinsman 2008
ELECTEDCEMETERYBOARD
TermExpires
CEMETERYTRUSTEES
Michael Lapointe 2008
Marc Couture 2009
Ralph Phipps 2010
ELECTEDBYTOWNMEETING
SURVEYORSOFWOODANDLUMBER
Paul Connolly 2008
Ralph Phipps 2008
Richard Wasson 2008
Steve Ross 2008
FENCEVIEWER
Paul Janetos 2008
TREEWARDEN
Ed Charpentier 2008
PARKSANDRECREATION
Larry Larkin 2008
Doug Starling 2009
Mike Gibbons 2010
APPOINTEDBYSELECTMEN
POLICEDEPARTMENT
Robert Ducharme, Chief 2008
HIGHWAYDEPARTMENT
AI Johnson, Road Agent 2008
TAXCOLLECTOR
Pamela Morgan 2008
CMLDEFENSEDIRECTOR
Robert Ducharme 2008
HEALTHOFFKER
James E. Murphy 2008
RECREATIONCOMMITTEE
Coletta Malerba 2008
Greg Cordeiro 2008
Michelle Small 2008
Joan Seawards 2008
Rich Seawards 2008
Lawrence Larkin 2008
Paula Woolley 2008