LONDONDERRY — Residents have some weighty decisions ahead — whether to add four full-time firefighters to the department, a proposed $26.7 million town budget and much more.
Voters will gather Monday, Feb. 6, for the deliberative session of the budgetary Town Meeting. It all begins at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at Londonderry High School.
All warrant articles will be acted on for placement on the ballot voters will consider March 13. Town and school officers will be elected that same day.
There is no quorum requirement and voters can amend the articles as they see fit.
Voters will consider whether to add four full-time firefighters to the department and additional overtime funds to allow 10 staff members per shift — at a cost of $240,115. The Town Council unanimously recommends the move. The Budget Committee does not, 3-4.
The proposed town operating budget for fiscal year 2013 is $26.7 million, the same as the current budget. The budget received unanimous backing from the Town Council and Budget Committee.
Voters also will consider appropriating $3 million to build, maintain and operate a new sewer system. The service is supported through user fees, not property taxes.
Other monetary articles include a bond to fund $537,000 in road reconstruction, putting $200,000 in the maintenance trust fund for repair and maintenance of town facilities, and appropriating $510,000 in capital reserve funds for ambulances, highway trucks and fire trucks.
Also, voters will be asked to put $50,000 in the capital reserve fund for Fire Department equipment.
The town already has established a Police Outside Detail Fund, but voters will decide whether to raise and appropriate $564,244 to cover outside details. The funding comes from user fees, not property tax dollars.
The town also will discuss whether to put 100 percent up to $100,000 from land use change tax revenue into the Conservation Fund. Forty percent of any amount above $100,000 also would go into the fund. As it stands now, 100 percent of land use change taxes go into the Conservation Fund. The article was the result of a citizen petition.
The town could establish a capital reserve fund for equipment in the future for the Cable Access Center. The article requests $200,000. Town councilors back the proposal, the Budget Committee does not.
A second cable article would restrict the use of franchise fees and other cable revenue for the Cable Department and PEG Access. Neither town body backs the proposal, which was the result of a citizen petition.
There are three articles dealing with labor contracts, all unanimously recommended by the Town Council and Budget Committee. One contract covers Public Works and office support staff; the second is for full-time management staffers in the fire and police departments; and the third covers 12 employees in six town departments. If any of the three are rejected by voters next month, the warrant also includes a request for authorization for a special meeting just to address those three contract articles.
Voters also will be asked to establish a Roadway Maintenance Trust Fund of $250,000. A majority vote is required for passage.
Finally, voters will discuss creating a redistricting commission to divide the town into two or more districts for the purpose of electing state representatives. This article, too, was put on the warrant by citizen petition.
Voters will get a few days off, then be asked to return to the LHS cafeteria Friday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. for the school deliberative session.
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