Plaistow budget committee recommends $13.3 million operating budget after debate over ambulance enterprise account

The Plaistow Budget Committee voted to recommend the town’s general fund operating budget, warrant article p25-2, totaling $13,306,304 after a prolonged discussion about whether ambulance fee revenue should be segregated into an enterprise or revolving fund.

Committee members spent most of the meeting debating whether ambulance net revenue already being remitted to the town general fund should be removed now and placed in a separate account to offset ambulance costs. A motion to amend the proposed operating budget by reducing it by $200,000 — a figure committee members said represented roughly eight months of net ambulance revenue — failed; the committee then voted to recommend the budget as proposed.

The operating warrant article, read aloud during the meeting, states that if the article is defeated the default operating budget would be $13,270,845 and that a special meeting could be required under RSA 4013, 1011 to take up a revised operating budget only. Committee members said the variance between the proposed and default budgets was about $36,000.

A vocal committee member identified in the transcript as Richard argued the committee already has monthly reports showing ambulance net revenue and said the average from March to December is about $30,000 per month, prompting his request to reduce the operating budget by roughly $200,000 so the selectmen could move that money into a separate fund. "So $200,000 at least $200,000 is coming from the ambulance service net revenue," Richard said.

Several committee members pushed back on the timing and clarity of the data. Margo Collins urged caution and recommended waiting 18 to 24 months to collect stable figures before establishing a dedicated enterprise or revolving fund so the department can present more complete financial data. "Give the department the fire department, the ambulance department, 18 months to 24 months to get a certain number…so the department has solid numbers for us to work with before decisions are made," Collins said.

Members repeatedly cited Atkinson, which the committee said has voted to establish a revolving fund for ambulance services under "RSA 3195" to capture fees and charges separately. Committee members noted that establishing a revolving or enterprise fund does not guarantee it will contain revenue immediately; it only authorizes the account and provides a place to deposit incoming fees if and when they materialize.

Town manager materials were not ready for the meeting; committee members were told the town manager expects to provide more detailed information about hypothetical enterprise-account mechanics next week, after the public hearing. A committee member said the manager "said we'll have something for next week" so the budget committee can review it before the deliberative session.

Procedurally, a motion to amend the operating budget by $200,000 was made and seconded (the seconder was identified as Elizabeth in the transcript); that amendment failed for lack of support. The committee then voted to recommend the operating budget as submitted.

Committee members also discussed administrative items: acceptance of minutes and scheduling. A motion to accept the minutes passed earlier in the meeting.

The committee scheduled a public hearing for the warrant articles next week at 6:30 p.m. and noted the deliberative session will follow. Residents were told they may submit questions to the budget committee or bring them to the deliberative session. Holly Patterson, a resident, asked when warrant articles would be posted for public review and was told they would likely be finalized and posted that night or available at town offices.

The meeting record indicates the committee will revisit enterprise-account details and financial schedules with materials from the town manager at the next meeting before any formal change to the accounting treatment of ambulance revenue is recommended or implemented.