Budget review exposes debate over police chief pay, library increases and EV chargers

The Select Board's budget review focused on several high-impact items. Board members spent extended time on a police-department proposal that would shift the police chief from a salaried to an hourly payroll arrangement and reflected a 7% increase in the chief's budget line. Supporters said the change would fairly compensate overtime and uncompensated hours; critics warned it would raise overtime exposure, New Hampshire retirement contributions and holiday buyouts and could create safety and staffing concerns if not controlled by clear overtime caps.

A board member summarized that the chief's requested budget reflected more hours and greater compensation, saying the shift "increases your overtime line, your holiday buyout, and your New Hampshire retirement." Other members stressed the need for clearer workload distribution, contingency plans if a full-time officer could not be hired, and a follow-up meeting to resolve outstanding payroll and policy questions before the official budget hearing. The board scheduled a special working session the following Monday to address these unresolved items.

Several warrant articles were also discussed: a $152,000 deposit to a fire-truck capital reserve (part of the CIP), a large Depot Road bridge repair article ($350,000, mostly covered by reserves and fund balance), and a library package that included exterior painting, a rooftop solar project that staff said should include grant-contingent language if the grant is not received, and a library operating budget the board described as a sizeable increase that needs a separate library presentation.

The board also discussed a grant-funded proposal to install four electric-vehicle chargers at the town-office parking lot; members said state grant requirements appeared to increase the required charger count from two to four and asked staff to confirm whether grant terms would affect parking availability and stipulate pricing to cover operating costs.

At the end of the meeting the board approved routine signature-file items and recorded roll-call votes to approve minutes, an intent-to-excavate, $641,945.69 in accounts payable (which included a $326,000 rescue vehicle purchase and a school payment), and payroll of $70,889.01.