2014 Town of Belmont
Proposed Budget
Tuesday, November 5, 2013, 6:30 p.m.
Corner Meeting House
Budget Committee Members
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Norma Patten
2014
Fred Wells
2014
Sue Harris
2014
Herman Martin
2014
Mark Roberts
2015
Tina Fleming
2015
Ward Peterson
2015
Ken Ellis
2016
Ron Mitchell
2016
Tracey LeClair
2016
Albert Akerstrom
2016
Ruth Mooney, Selectmen’s Representative
2015
Important Dates to Remember
Final Date for Petition Warrant Articles is the 2nd
Tuesday in January – January 14, 2014
 First Budget Hearing shall be held before the 3rd Tuesday
in January, final posting for the hearing shall be the 2nd
Tuesday in January – January 21, 2014
 Warrant shall be posted on or before the last Monday
in January – January 27, 2014
 Deliberative Session shall be held between the first and
second Saturdays following the last Monday in January,
inclusive of those Saturdays – February 1 – 8th, 2014
 Town Meeting – Ballot Voting – March 11, 2014
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Summary of Important Changes
2014 Proposed Budget:
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In preparation of changes relating to the Affordable Care Act, the Town of Belmont
will be implementing changes in health care options as of January 1, 2014. These
changes will include increased office call, emergency and urgent care and
prescription co-pays. Also effective January 1, 2014, those employees continuing to
elect the POS (Blue Choice) coverage will be paying 17% of the cost of the
coverage. Employees choosing the HMO (Matthew Thornton) coverage will be
paying 13% of the cost of the coverage.
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NH Retirement System rates have increased and are included throughout the
Town’s 2014 proposed budget. The rates are as follows: Police 25.3%, Fire 27.74%
and Regular Employees 10.77%.
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Non-Union staff wage increases have been budgeted anticipating an overall 3%
increase; this includes one-step with a 1% COLA. Additional increases may be
budgeted where warranted by the Department Head and will be outlined during
their budget presentation.
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The Town has reached a tentative agreement with the Public Works Union and we
continue to negotiate with the Public Safety Union. Warrant Articles will be included
on the 2014 warrant to address costs related to unions.
#1 Executive Budget Proposed
2014: $308,085.12
Prior Year’s Appropriation:
$316,450.46
% of Change: -3 %
July 15, 2013 Dedication
Photo from Left to Right: Selectman Ronald Cormier, Selectman Ruth Mooney, Selectman
Jon Pike, Heritage Commission members Wallace Rhodes and Alyce Jewell.
Town Clerk/Finance Administration 2014
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#2 Town Clerk Functions 2014
Proposed: $93,657.49
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#4 Finance Administration 2014
Proposed: $230,383.26
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Prior Year’s appropriation: $89,041.02
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% of Change: +5.18%
Prior Year’s appropriation:
$220,010.76
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Changes which occurred in 2013:
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% of Change: +6.03%
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Part Time Clerks eliminated from
Town Clerk Functions and Finance
Administration; position was changed
to one full time clerk effective
9/21/2013.
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Changes which occurred in 2013:
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A new Finance Director’s position
was created in March, the position is
considered part-time, 30-hours per
week. In addition the Accounting
Assistant is full time to the
department and no longer a shared
position with Conservation, Building
and Land Use.
#3 Elections &
Registrations 2014
Proposed: $7,030.31
Prior Year’s Appropriation:
$3,255.95
Increases are due to the
number of elections in
2014.
Supervisor’s of the Checklist:
Donna Shepherd 2014
Nikki Wheeler
2015
Brenda Paquette 2019
#6 Property Taxation Budget
Proposed 2014: $52,050.53
Prior Year’s Appropriation:
$55,833.47
% of Change: -6.78%
The 2013 Tax Rate is:
Town: $7.53
County: $1.13
Local School: $11.67
State Ed: $2.11
Total Rate: $22.44
Net Change from 2012 Rate:
$.74 cents
The Measure and List is complete as part of the 2014
Revaluation; work will begin this fall to data enter the
information gathered and the Sales Analysis will be
completed. Property Owners will be advised of their new
values in the summer of 2014 and these values will be
used in the calculation of the 2014 Tax Rate.
Last year’s total tax rate was
$21.70 which broke down as
follows:
Town: $7.42
County: $1.19
Local School: $10.93
State Ed: $2.16
#6 Legal Budget 2014
Proposed: $35,000.00
Prior Year’s Appropriation:
$35,000.00
% of Change: None
#7 Land Use Budget Proposed 2014:
$298,585.98
Prior Year’s Appropriation: $296,166.33
% of Change: +.82%
Highlighted changes include elimination of
part-time clerk position and shared
lease/purchase of a Plotter/Plan
Scanner/Printer and Vehicle Repair,
Maintenance and Fuel.
#24 Conservation Commission Budget
Proposed 2014: $25,600.53
Prior Year’s Appropriation: $24,526.71
% of Change: +4.4%
Highlighted changes include elimination of
part-time clerk position and an increase in
the Commission’s project line. Numerous
projects are on-going including the
Commission’s support of the Covered Foot
Bridge relocation from the City of Dover.
Land Use and Conservation Commission
Bridge on the move!
Picture courtesy of Ken Knowlton
Belmont Mill and Bandstand, September 2013
#8 General Government
Buildings Budget Proposed
2014: $199,727.00
Prior Year’s appropriation:
$191,384.00
% of Change: +4.36%
Highlighted changes include
relocation of the Parks &
Recreation Department to the
2nd floor classroom formerly
occupied by the LRCC. A
complete architectural study
will be undertaken over the
next year to determine cost
and viability of moving all of
the Town Hall offices to the
Mill at the conclusion of the
CDBG grant period in 2019.
Additional funds have been
added in 2014 to cover upkeep
of the new landscaping on
Main Street.
Cemeteries and Insurance Not Allocated
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#9 Cemetery Budget Proposed 2014:
$12,800.00
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#10 Insurance Not Allocated Budget
Proposed 2014: $163,036.00
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Prior Year’s appropriation: $8,624.00
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% of Change: +48%
Prior Year’s appropriation:
$147,714.00
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% of Change: +10.4%
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Highlighted changes include the
Town’s participation in the
Unemployment Compensation
Program offered by Primex and
overall rate increase for coverage.
under Worker’s Compensation and
Property Liability. The Town’s
coverage for each is through Primex.
#11 Police Department
Budget Proposed 2014:
$1,823,909.90
Prior Year’s appropriation:
$1,763,423.24
% of Change: +3.43%.
Belmont Police Cruiser at “Touch a Truck” Day, Photo
courtesy of Special Events Coordinator Shana Agan
#12 Fire Department
Budget Proposed 2014:
$1,536,015.25
Prior Year’s appropriation:
$1,475,691.60
% of Change: +4.1%
Highlighted changes
include a proposal for a
new Firefighter and
inclusion of the costs for
LRMFA in lieu of being in
the Town’s County tax for
2014.
Belmont Ladder Truck at “Touch a Truck” Day, Photo
courtesy of Special Events Coordinator Shana Agan
#13 Building Inspection Budget Proposed
2014: $79,009.88
Prior Year’s appropriation: $77,126.44
% of change: +2.44%
Highlight of changes include shared
lease/purchase of a Plotter/Scanner/Printer
for large plans.
#14 Emergency Management Budget
Proposed 2014 $8,000.00
Prior Year’s appropriation: $8,000.00
% of change: 0%
Building Inspection & Emergency Management
Highway Administration, Highways & Streets,
Street Lighting, and Highway Block Grant
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#15 Highway Administration
Proposed 2014 Budget:
$60,323.72
Prior year’s appropriation:
$57,983.97
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% of change: +4%
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Highway Block Grant Proposed
2014 Budget: $166,138.20
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Street Lighting Proposed 2014
Budget: $11,000.00
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Highways & Streets Proposed
2014 Budget: $1,012,922.30
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Prior year’s appropriation:
$948,122.95
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% of change: +6.83%
Solid Waste Administration, Collection & Disposal
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#16 Solid Waste Administration, Collection & Disposal Proposed
2014 Budget: $537,859.00
Prior year’s appropriation: $530,829.52
% of change: +1.3%
The Town has been working closely with Bestway/Casella to
formulate a Solid Waste Management plan for the future which best
meets the needs of the community. A contract and host agreement
are being drafted and will be effective January 1, 2015.
Recycling
Health Agencies & General Assistance
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#19 Health Agencies
Proposed 2014 Budget:
$61,450.00
Prior year’s appropriation:
$59,950.00
% of change: +2.5%
The Town received an
additional request for 2014
from the Franklin VNA &
Hospice which represents the
change in the budget.
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#20 General Assistance
Administration Proposed
2014 Budget: $67,792.05
Prior year’s appropriation:
$65,250.50
% of change: +3.9%
General Assistance Vendor
Payments Proposed 2014
Budget: $155,700.00
Prior year’s appropriation:
$169,050.00
% of change: -7.9%
Photo courtesy of Janet Breton, Parks & Recreation
Director
#21 Parks &
Recreation
Proposed 2014
Budget: $93,835.24
Prior year’s
appropriation:
$92,892.85
% of change: + 1%
Town Beach
Proposed 2014
Budget: $17,247.74
Prior year’s
appropriation:
$17,432.63
% of change: -1%
#22 Library
Proposed 2014
Budget: $132,206.71
Prior year’s
appropriation:
$121,625.28
% of change: +8.7%
We would like to
welcome new
Librarian Becky
Albert, please stop
by and say “hi”.
Steve Blunt Returns to
Belmont!!! - Photo courtesy of the Belmont Library
Patriotic Purposes
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#23 Patriotic Purposes
Proposed 2014 Budget:
$20,229.50
Prior year’s appropriation:
$20,000.00
% of change: +1%
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Photos courtesy of Shana Agan,
Special Event Coordinator – taken
at “Touch a Truck Day”
Belmont Historical Bandstand on the move!
#23 Other Culture
(Heritage Commission)
Proposed 2014 Budget:
$7,000.00
Prior year’s
appropriation: $6,000.00
% of change: +17%
Several exciting
initiatives are underway
sponsored by the
Heritage Commission;
please visit
www.belmontnh.org for
more information.
Photo courtesy of Land Use Technician Rick Ball
#17 Sewer Proposed 2014
Budget: $508,666.22
Prior year’s appropriation:
$491,587.96
% of change: 3.47%
The Town completed in
2013, the replacement of 5
Sewer Pump Stations,
pictured here is the
station at Sandy Beach.
Funding for the project
was provided by the State
Revolving Fund (SRF) and
repayment will take place
over a 10-year period at
1.70%.
Water Department
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#18 Water Department Proposed 2014 Budget: $259,638.92
Prior year’s appropriation: $629,856.70
% of change: -59%
The Town has successfully completed Phase 1 of the waterline
replacement project and Phase II will begin in the spring.
Debt Service
#26 Debt Service, Principal and Interest, and
TAN Proposed 2014 Budget: $100,852.00
 Prior year’s appropriation: $100,853.00
 The Town recently completed two projects
funded by State Revolving Funds; both projects
will be repaid over a 10-year period with a
repayment rate of 1.70% through User Fees in
the Water & Sewer Department budgets.
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Capital
Capital Outlay,
Equipment,Vehicles &
Machinery,
Improvements
Buildings & Other
 2014 appropriations
requested: $377,500
 Prior year’s
appropriations:
$225,817.86
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Capital Reserve
 2014 appropriations
requested:
$1,035,500.00
 Prior year’s
appropriations:
$944,500.00
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