Annual Report for the Town of Bedford, New Hampshire, for the Year
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Walk the Heritage Trail and enjoy the beauty ofthe Merrimack River Special Thanks to Resident, Roger Bourquefor the photograph TOWN MEETING CALENDAR Budgetary Town Meeting - March 4, 1998 - 7:00 P.M. Old Town Hall Town and School District Elections - Tuesday, March 10, 1998 - McKelvie School ANNUAL REPORT for the TOWN OF BEDFORD, NEWHAMPSHIRE for the Year Ending December 31, 1997 TOWN ELECTED OFFICIALS APPOINTED OFFICIALS COUNCILORS TABLE OF CONTENTS Town Elected Officials Inside Front Cover State Elected Officials Inside Front Cover Appointed Boards & Commissions Inside Front Cover Minutes of 1 997 Budgetary Town Meeting 2. 1998 Warrant 8. Schedule of Property Owned by the Town 11. Planning Board 12. Planning & Zoning Department 12. Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission 13. Zoning Board of Adjustment 13. Historic District Commission 14. Cemetery Trustees 14. Parks & Recreation Commission & Department 15. Capital Improvement Plan Summary 1998 16. Town Council 17. Town Manager 17. Statement of Bonded Debt 17. Public Works Department 18. Transfer Station 18. Wastewater 18. Bedford Community Television 19. Library 20. Library Accounts Statistics & Information 21. Finance & Personnel Department 21. Conservation Commission 22. Assessing Department 23. Supervisors of the Checklist 23. Results of 1997 Zoning Ballot 23. 1998 Proposed Budget - Digest of Major Changes 24. 1998 Budget Summary 25. 1998 Proposed Budget 26. Ten Year Landfill Closure Financial Plan 27. Road Rehabilitation Program 28. Road Budget Growth Charts 29. Fire Department 30. Forest Fire Warden 31. Fire Department Statistics 31. Police Department 32. Police Department Activities 32. Building/Health Department 33. Building Valuation Report 33. Tax Collector's Report 33. Town Clerk/Tax Collector 34. Tax Sales & Liens 35. Trust Funds 36. Births 40. Marriages 43. Deaths 45. Audit Report -1996 50. Treasurer's Report 52. Population and Tax Rate Inside Back Cover Appointed Boards and Commissions Inside Back Cover Office Hours Outside Back Cover Phone Numbers Outside Back Cover TOWN OF BEDFORD BUDGETARY TOWN MEETING MARCH 4, 1997 - MCKELVIE SCHOOL Council to enter into financing under the The annual Budgetary Town Meeting was State of New Hampshire revolving loan held on Tuesday, March 4, 1997 at the fund, and to take such other action as may be McKelvie School. Moderator Eugene Van necessary to effect the financing as shall be in Loan opened the meeting at 7 PM and led in the best interests of the Town of Bedford, the Pledge of Allegiance. Moderator Van and pass any vote relating thereto. Loan introduced those seated on the stage including Councilors William Bradlee, Richard Como, David Danielson, Paul Mr. Goldberg moved the article; motion Goldberg, Edward Moran, Thomas Riley and seconded. Richard Stonner. Also, Artherline Robersen, Town Manager; Edith Schmidtchen, Town Mr. Goldberg gave an overview of the Clerk/Tax Collector; Keith Hickey, Finance landfill closure. He stated the Chubbuck Director; and Martha Gaudes, Town Council Road Landfill was developed in 1970 to Clerk. accept domestic solid waste. During 25 years of operation, over 200,000 tons of Earl Isham, Commander of WW Post 8401 solid waste has been landfilled at the site. gave commendations to two firefighters and Over its 25 years of operation, the Town has one patrolman. Those honored were taken many steps to protect the quality of the Patrolman Tom Maille and Lt. Firefighter ground water in the area of the Landfill. In Keith Folsom and Lt. Firefighter Glenn 1984 the Bedford Conservation Commission Wiggin. and Normandeau Associates installed ground water testing wells around the landfill. In 1990 TWM Northeast prepared a There were approximately 80 people in the hydrological investigation of the site. From audience. Moderator Van Loan reviewed 1986 to the present, the Town has had a the rules of procedure for the meeting. He program of testing ground water wells indicated that Article 3 will be voted on by around the Landfill. In May of 1995 the secret ballot, and the polls will remain open Town opened the new Transfer Station and for 1 hour. stopped accepting solid waste at the Landfill. Over the last 8 years the Town has been : if will vote ARTICLE 3 To see the Town working with the State of NH, Dept. of to raise and appropriate a sum not to exceed Environmental Services and private million plus interest for the purpose of $1.5 consultants to develop a plan to permanently costs related to the final closure of the cap the Landfill. The final cap involves Chubbuck Road Landfill. Such sum to be placing a plastic liner much like a swimming partially funded by capital reserves and a pool liner over the 10 acre site. The main State grant, and to authorize the Town function of the cap is to prevent rain water 5 from flowing through the solid waste and Sue Holstein, 33 Ministerial Branch, asked contaminating the ground water. Over the what is the percentage of various funds. Mr. last 20 years there has been a lot of Goldberg said 20% from the State. We have development around the Landfill, and in capital reserve $440,000. The rest we pay protection of ground water has always been with the interest. By getting in the state the Town's priority. If the State approves revolving loan program we save bond the Town's plan, construction could begin in counsel fees and get very low interest rates. 1997. The cost is estimated at $1,600,000 will paid combination of state and be by a Gary Hoffman, 64 Cider Mill Road, asked if grants, state loans, and money set aside by this is an unfunded federal mandate. Mr. the Town over the last several years. Goldberg said the EPA mandate came out 1 years ago. Ed Comiskey, 12 Three Corners Road, said the total cost is listed on page 26 as $1.85 There being no further comment, Moderator million, the article is for $1.5 million, and Van Loan closed debate and opened the Mr. Goldberg just read $1.6 million. He polls at 7:30 PM and announced they would is additional going asked how the $350,000 stay open until 8:30 PM. to be funded. He also notes that retiring the debt is to be raised by taxes. He asked if any ARTICLE 4: To see if the Town will vote consideration was made to moving more of to raise and appropriate such sums of money that to the front. Mr. Goldberg said we have as may be necessary to defray Town charges already paid for the engineering reports, but for the ensuing year. we can include them in the amount to the State so that we can get 20% of that money Town General Fund $8,269,463.00 back. That is the reason for the difference. Police Contract Work 200,000.00 Those other funds were authorized at Summer Day Camp 58,376.00 previous town meetings. As far as the taxes, Sewer Fund 644,526.00 with our Capital Improvement Plan it is set Total Appropriations $9,172,365.00 up to have the least amount of impact on the tax rate as we can foresee over the next 10 Mr. Goldberg moved Article 4 at motion seconded Mr. years. It also gives us the ability that if other $9,172,365.00; by grants become available we can get that help Stonner. Moderator Van Loan announced and reduce the tax burden. that the $1.5 million in Article 3 is not included in this $9,172,365.00. Ted Bara, Sebbins Pond, asked if anything is Moderator Van Loan read each line item. going over that sheet to protect it. Mr. Goldberg said there will be a green field with grass and flowers. That is included in that Town Council $73,079.00 money. Eleanor Freedman, Kalmia Way, asked the for a full year. The largest increase is in difference between the Town Manager's machinery and equipment which is 400% proposed budget and Town Council's from last year. Three years ago we said we budget. Mr. Goldberg said if you look on had a 3 -year plan on information technology. the revenue side you will see an increase in This year is the third year, and we are buying revenue of $50,000 under Town Council. the remainder of the software and hardware The reason it is put there is the Town has which completes the overall program. Mrs. some land they are going to put on the Comiskey asked for dollars instead of market and feel it will bring $50,000. In percentages. Mr. Danielson said purchasing order to utilize that money, it has to be on went from $46,000 to $900,000, the appropriation side. expenditures from $47,000 to $112,000, and data processing person from $4,000 to $7,500. The increase in wages went from Mike Scanlon, 15 Caron Road, asked what is $62,000 to $109,000. Maintenance of the the difference in expenses over last year. equipment went from $15,000 to $25,000. Mr. Goldberg said this is to account for the $50,000 that we receive from the sale of Assessing $54,470.00 land, and we have to appropriate it. Mr. Legal Expense $35,000.00 Scanlon asked where the money is going. Planning Board 6,740.00 Mrs. Robersen said there are a couple of Zoning Board 1,863.00 pieces of land the Town is looking to buy for Historic District Commission 675.00 recreation/conservation. The revenue will Planning Department 161,357.00 either come from the Capital Reserve or by selling the piece of land. Mr. Scanlon asked what the increase is. Mr. Moran said that is largely the Capital Town Manager's Office $ 1 70, 142.00 Reserve Fund for Back River Road of Elections & Registration $ 1 6,233 .00 $57,000.