Greenland voters to consider $6.7M budget, new firefighter, community power
GREENLAND — Residents can weigh in on the town's more than $6.7 million budget at the annual deliberative session Saturday, Feb. 3 at 9 a.m. at Greenland Central School.
Amendments can be made to the budget and other warrant articles in the deliberative session before Greenland's Town Meeting election to be held Tuesday, March 12, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Greenland Central School. The election ballot will include the budget, all warrant articles and town elected offices.
As it currently stands, the budget proposal is $6,732,453 and the default budget that would be enacted if voters rejected the budget is $6,082,662, which represents last year's budget plus any contractual agreements.
Town Administrator Paul Sanderson said because this was a revaluation year for the town, meaning the assessed values of homes and all properties in town went up, town officials consciously made an effort to avoid big-ticket items on the ballot.
Sanderson explained the budget increase.
"The majority of that increase represents money for wages for town employees," said Sanderson. "The tax impact is tricky to figure this year because of the revaluation but I can say that should all articles on the warrant pass, the tax increase would be less than $1 per $1,000 of assessed value."
Will Greenland move to lower electricity bills?
Voters will consider giving the Select Board the authority to act on behalf of the town to create a community power group, potentially lowering the cost of electricity. Communities such as Portsmouth, Dover, Newmarket, Exeter and others have already joined the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire, which offers a lower rate on bills though the same utility company delivers electricity.
More: How much will Portsmouth Community Power save residents on electric bills?
New firefighter proposed for full-time department
Voters will be asked to fund a new firefighter position, for $94,000 for the remainder of 2024. In 2025, the cost is expected to be $125,000.
"We are a completely full-time department now," said Sanderson. "Currently we have seven full-time positions. This request comes about to assure we meet the requirement to always have at least two people responding for fire and ambulance calls. We no longer have volunteer positions."
Sanderson noted one of the current firefighters also serves the town as building inspector.
If Article 13 passes, the town could dissolve its budget committee. Sanderson said some new members of the Select Board believe a budget committee is not necessary and the board could fill that role.
"We have had a budget committee since 1972," he said.
Town Meeting coming back to Greenland?
Another article, asks voters if they want to eliminate the SB2 form of voting and return to a more traditional town meeting form of governing the town.
"It is definitely getting harder because of actions in the legislature, to calculate the value of the default budget," Sanderson said. "Because of many changes, that budget keeps getting lower and lower than we would need it to be."
The warrant includes additions to capital reserves and other funds for police department funds, ambulance billing expenses, a possible future new fire station, retirement liability fund, and town equipment funds. Voters will be asked to fund $1 each to establish a cemetery expendable trust fund, and a recreation capital reserve fund.
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Greenland voters to consider $6.7M budget, community power
