Members Present: Robin McAfee, Carol Merrill, Jennifer Morin, William Barnett, Gabby Daneault, Dan Howe, Thomas Gilligan, Mona McCready, Larry Anderson and Robin Pelletier

Excused Absent: Brian Duchesne, Peter Viar and David Eaton

Unexcused Absent: Tom Irzyk

Others Present: David Jodoin, Jim Boisvert, Phil Trowbridge from the Conservation Committee, Ron Adinolfo, Vice Chairman, Tri-Town Ambulance, Rich Ralkowski, Treasurer/Secretary, Tri-Town Ambulance and Lt. Shawn Mulhulland

Jennifer called the meeting to order 7:02 p.m.

Larry made a motion to accept the minutes of the October 21, 2004 meeting, Dan seconded.

Jennifer changed Robin Pelletier from Unexcused Absent to Excused Absent. Carol stated that on page 2, where Ed stated that some people voted absentee because they did not want to fight the crowd at the polls, that’s not exactly what he said. Bill stated that they tried to vote absentee, but were not allowed to. Larry also stated that he was the one who had asked the questions about the voting booths, instead of Dan.

Carol stated that they had a lot of absentee ballots this year and he was talking about a person who had come in and gave the reason for voting absentee that they did not want to fight the crowd. It does not read that way.

Jennifer then read the paragraph in question. The sentence that reads "On election day in 2000, 300 people registered" and then change the next part to read "Some people approached Ed for an absentee ballot based on the fact that they did not want to fight the crowd at the polls, he therefore denied this request."

Larry asked how this mistake could be made, Jennifer stated that no one says who is speaking and the transcriptionist is trying to decipher who is talking.

Jennifer noted that the following should be changed

On page 1, third paragraph, where it says Dan asked what the $7,400 covered, this should be changed to Larry asked.

On page 2, second paragraph, where it says Dan asked how many people they were expecting should be changed to Larry asked.

One page 3, paragraph 2, where it says Dan asked about the postage should be changed to Larry asked.

The minutes were approved as amended with two abstaining votes (Robin P. and Tom G).

Telephone/Pagers – There is an increase this year because the budget is overspent each year on this line. So this line was increased to $2,300. Jennifer asked if the increase was because of something special, Jim noted that it was just being brought up to a correct amount.

Electricity – This line has been reduced to $2,800.

Heat/Oil - $250 – this is for waste oil.

Town Shed Repairs - $1,000 – same as last year.

General Supplies – $1,000 – same as last year.

Gasoline - $5,000 – we are keeping this line the same as last year. Even though the price of gasoline has increased dramatically, we are going to try to make due with this amount.

Diesel Fuel - $7,000 – same as last year.

Larry stated that the Department has already overspent this line by $470. If the price stays where it is, you will be well over $1,000 overspent. Jim stated that it all depends on how much fuel is used in the three plow trucks also. If the three trucks are not used much, then we can save fuel on these diesel trucks. One month we may pay $1.37 a gallon, the next month $1.47 so we will keep this at the same price and hope for the best. If we do go over, then we will have to find someplace else in the budget to cover this expense.

Vehicle Repairs - $12,000 – we will be over that figure this year, but we should be able to get by with this amount for next year. Current we only have two truck that have warrantees on them.

Larry stated that last year was a very light year for snow, Jim stated there was a lot of ice. Larry stated that he felt that this year may be different and that they may not be able to get away with this amount. Jim stated that they will try.

Larry stated that they should at least budget for the amount of fuel that they used last year at today’s price. If the Department used 100,000 gallons last year at $1 a gallon, then he should figure on the same 100,000 gallons and use this year’s price for the budget. Larry asked Jim how many gallons on fuel the Highway Department used last year? Jim stated they used about 300 gallons for gas and is not sure how much diesel fuel he had used. Jim stated that there is 1,000 gallons in the tank. The Highway Department pays everyone’s diesel bill. Larry stated that he understood how it works, but you pumped x number of gallons of fuel and it cost x number of dollars. So if this year the fuel will be .50 more a gallon, then you should budget for that figure to be .50 more a gallon.

Jim stated that they could go back and add each month up because we do have the totals, but David would have to go back and figure this out. Larry stated that if you budget $7,000 and spend $10,000 then you have to go some where else to get the money, this figure should be somewhere near what was spent last year at this year’s prices.

Jennifer asked Jim if he felt comfortable with this amount. Yes. David stated that he could actually combine the Gasoline and Diesel line into one, then they would have $12,000 budgeted on one line. Jim stated that they have 1,000 gallons in the tank right now that has not been used yet and it has been paid for.

Signs - $600 – so far this year we have spent $455.

Uniforms/Safety Equipment - $2,600 – down from $2,800 last year.

Full Time Salaries - $176,675 went up to cover the 2.5% increases for all personnel.

Overtime - $9,500 – this is one of those lines you never know about, easy winter or not.

Part-time Salaries – The Department has three part-time people and we have kept this line the same at $20,000.

Rentals/Leases - $200 – same as last year.

Dues/Memberships - $400 – same as last year.

Robin P. asked Jim what they rented. He stated that they don’t rent anything. This line is there just in case we do need to rent something. We have not used this line this year. We keep this line just in case we need to rent a pump or something.

Paving Supplies - $100 – same as last year.

Sand/Gravel - $4,000 – this line is for gravel during the summer and sand during the winter. The price this year went up $1.05 per ton, so we will try to use the same amount as last year. There was a big increase in sand and salt this year, almost $3 a ton in salt and $1.05 for winter sand. Jennifer asked why this had increased and Jim did not know. Everyone is blaming everything on the price of fuel.

Cold Patch - $500 – same as last year.

Paving & Reconstruction - $60,000 – we plan on doing Library Street and East Webster Street. This will be a total reclamation and the Sewer Department is doing the work on that Street and many other Departments are doing some work on that Street and it will all be done at once. If the Sewer Budget and the Highway Budget is approved we will do all this work, if the Sewer Budget does not go through, then we will not do Library Street.

Tree Expense - $1,000 – same as last year.

Surface Water - $600 – same as last year. So far we have spent $187.

Salt - $12,000 – same as last year.

Municipal Hydrants - $10,140 – same as last year. This line is for the fire hydrants. Five new hydrants have been placed on Granite Street, so hopefully Pembroke Water Works will not change the price. The hydrants are rented from Pembroke Water Works.

Tom G. asked if there was any cost sharing with Eames. Jim stated that the Mobile Home Park, Holiday Acres now has Town water and they paid the whole project price. They went across Town property and if we ever want to tie in we will have to pay a hook up fee.

Street Lights - $16,600 – down from last year. The electric bills have been lower. David stated that the bills were running between $1,100 and $1,200 per month but the last bill was for $1,400. As oil increases, the electric rates will go up also. Tom G. asked if there were any cost reduction measures the Town could take, like putting in the new age lights. David stated that they were already being used. Jennifer stated that this line used to be $40,000.

Maintenance Expense for Solid Waste – Dumpsters - $1,000 – same as last year. There will be a warrant article for rewording the funds that we have, like $19,000 to buy new dumpsters. Right now we can’t take out the funds so we want to reword it, giving the Board of Selectmen out of the account. Tom G. asked if this was to take money from the Capital Reserve Fund. David stated that they are not authorized agents to expend the funds.

Tom G. asked how this line could be dropped. Could it be dropped to $100 and leave it there incase they need to move funds, how much do the new dumpsters cost? Jim stated that they can range from $1,100 to $2,000 and right now we have six, but we should have twelve. The ones we have are 25 years old and someone could get hurt. This year we do not have the money to buy them, but to do it the right way, is to reword the warrant and let the Selectmen expend the money to replace the dumpsters. Tom G. asked if this would allow them to then reduce the maintenance line for the following year, yes.

Disposal – Penacook – We still do not know this figure, we will know that at the end of November or the first of December. Jennifer asked what Jim anticipated for this amount. Jim stated he thought it would be around $145,000 because we are over on our tonnage already.

Tom G. asked if Jim knew why we were over, was it construction? Jim stated that there were a lot of people moving in and out of Town. There is much more household garbage on the side of the road.

Recycling - $200 – same as last year. Jim stated that the recycling program in only cardboard, tin, aluminum and glass. There is not much of a recycling program.

The total Highway budget comes out to $347,465, not including disposal.

Jim stated the he hopes this will be enough because there are 36 new houses going up in Bear Brook and we really don’t know what will happen until the road gets accepted.

Larry made a motion to table the Highway budget until the amount of the Disposal line is received, Robin P. seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Tom G. made a motion to accept the bottom line of $3,207, Mona seconded. Bill asked what the Boat Launch Project was. Phil stated that the two that are currently being worked on are on Albin Avenue, a launch onto the Suncook River and the other one on Irish Pond.

Tom G. asked if there could be any additional money needed to purchase the land if the family that owns the parcel decides to sell it. Phil stated that it was possible. We think the land will be worth about $10,000 after they take the access rights away with the new bridge, and we are hoping that DOT will buy the entire parcel and then give it to the Town. In the negotiations with the land owners, they may agree to this. If not, then we will have to come up with $10,000 and we hope to have this amount.

Tom G. asked what line this would come under? The Boat Launch Project and they would have the offset from the change and use tax revenues.

Robin P. asked if David had any suggestions. David stated that there is a little money in capital reserve that is expendable but he does not know how much it will cost.

Phil noted that because this land is being cut off, the total dollar amount is not hundreds of thousands of dollars, it is $10,000.

The motion passed unanimously.

Ron explained that the income for the Ambulance service is driven by call volume and people who get sick and there is not much that can be done to estimate that. We have been able to do a good job based on statistics, fiscal analysis is how you do that. As far as the expenses go, it is the same way.

We are starting to see an increase in call volume in Pembroke and Hooksett due to the growth in both Towns. There is a brand new development in Hooksett behind the Brick House that we just found out about, it is a huge complex about half the size of Granite Hill. In the next 10 years we expect to see a significant amount of growth which will push us into the next generation of ambulance service here.

The Ambulance Service suffers from the same thing you all suffer from when you send in a bill to the insurance company. That is how our income is generated along with the Town subsidies. The good part is that Medicare is giving a little more in New Hampshire, but all that is scheduled to taper off, according to the statistics by 2007 or 2008. With the call volume, we are looking at truck rotation about every three years. The standard run of the mill ambulance is $90,000. This does not include any of the equipment that is put inside. The $90,000 includes the stretcher, the red lights, the cabinets, and the keys to the truck. Our 7981, which is our newest unit, is just over a year old and it has 37,000 miles on it already. We cover 80 square miles and 25,000 people.

Jennifer asked if Medicare is the only insurance that they bill. Ron stated that they get Medicare and privates, Blue Cross, Harvard Pilgrim.

Jennifer asked about the Estimated Cost Recovery, Rich stated that it is the total income that they generate from Medicare, insurance and private donations. Jennifer stated that this has increased over the years. Ron said it all goes with call volume. From the end of the second quarter, beginning of the third quarter, the service was seeing the upswing and it has continued pretty much. Ron stated that he is also on Allenstown Rescue and the call volume in Allenstown has dropped. He has not had to do a rescue call in the middle of the night in almost three months. There is a company in Connecticut, Certified Ambulance Group, that does the annual billing. This company does billing for over 200 ambulance services throughout the East Coast. It makes it easier for us, we pay them a certain percentage of what is brought in for their services. With Medicare and insurance companies, if you don’t dot an I or don’t cross one t, everything gets rejected.

We only collection bill people who do not live in the three towns, we started a program this year that if someone does not live in Allentown, Pembroke or Hooksett and they use the Ambulance service, they pay because they do not get the taxpayer benefit. We did check into the legality of this and it is legal.

Rich noted that people who work in the three Towns, we try not to collection bill. We get insurance information and if they can’t pay the difference, then we will see if the call was for Allenstown Elementary or the High School. They usually look at the motor vehicle accidents in Route 28 and Route 3 and 93 and then collect from these people.

The service has four full time employees, three permanent paramedics and one intermediate level EMT. Very soon we will be adding another full-time paramedic. The per diem pool that is used, there are about 12 per diems, has gotten a lot smaller. This industry goes through revolution where you get a lot of people who burn out and leave, it turns over every so many years. It is a field with high burn out ratio. The average for a full-time paramedic in a busy squad, not as busy as us, but Boston or New York is usually 5 years and they are done. Plus the pay is not what they should be. The average pay for a paramedic is about $12 per hour. We pay a little higher than that and people stay. The key to a good squad is having a good base of personnel, consistency of people who work together.

Oil changes are made every month. There will be steady increases during the next five years, the average lifespan of a truck was 5 years, now it is more like 3 to 3 ½ years.

Tom G. asked as Hooksett expands, how is the cost increase going to be balanced because now it is proportional for Allenstown, Pembroke and Hooksett. Ron stated that the next stage would be a second 24 hour truck. Probably housed out of the central station in Hooksett. Everyone reaps the benefit of having this truck in Hooksett because if two trucks are in Allenstown, or one call in Pembroke and one in Allenstown, the other one is available if need be. No truck is designated to any one Town.

The people who work in Hooksett the population triples in a day, therefore the response time with having a truck in Hooksett is greatly reduced versus responding from the Pembroke station all the time. Ron stated that you are looking at a 10 to 15 minute ride from the Pembroke station to the center of Hooksett going down Route 3 by Wal-mart with all the traffic, that is with the siren on because people don’t move out of the way. Dan stated that it would be beneficial having a truck in Hooksett. Ron agreed, but it will have to be a three-town deal. The three Towns are going to have to sit down and discuss the cost because we will need more coverage plus another truck.

Apparently the land across from Mobil on the Run has been sold and will eventually be built up and hopefully Route 28 will be built up.

Larry asked how they had come up with the $27,932 had been calculated. Ron stated that it is based on the call volume and the sizes of the Towns. This formula has been there forever and we have just added percentage wise to that over the past several years.

Tom G. stated even with the influx, it is such a bargain. It is amazing that they can provide coverage at this rate.

Ron stated that if we were to start an ambulance from scratch, it would probably required six paramedics, a truck, salary and benefits you are looking at $300,000 to $400,000 of layout for the first year.

Ron also stated that the med pumps need to be replaced next year, these are primarily used on cardiac patients. Our pumps are out dated and must be replaced. The defibrillators cost $26,000 a piece.

Tom G. asked what they felt the increase will be next year with all the development going on. Ron stated that it may be three years before we need an additional ambulance. Hooksett’s plan of 800 new homes is over a 10-year plan. Hooksett is struggling with bring in new equipment to replace their aging fleet, like we are in Allenstown.

Jennifer asked if the ambulance service had any capital reserve accounts to start saving for the next five year. Ron stated that they have a savings account where all of the funds go, but we try to keep a buffer for payroll. Because if the call volume falls off, we must still pay our people, so there is a contingency fund that is at about $73,000 right now in case the call volume falls off.

Tom G. stated that it is not a fund for capital improvement. Ron stated no, the capital improvement is to lease/purchase the rigs, the problem is that the five year span is closing into a three and a half year span because of the mileage. Your can get about 160,000 to 170,000 miles from a truck, but we have to keep the annual maintenance up.

Jennifer asked if they had money set aside for a new ambulance, no because last year was the first year that we ran in the black. This squad has been running in the red and this year we are hoping to run in the black again. But this could all change in a 12 month time. Rich stated that last year the service did not raise the subsidies at all, we have seen an influx coming from the insurances. We are not making any money, we are non-profit.

Our fuel costs have also been high, we were paying $1.35 last year for diesel, we are currently paying $2.36 a gallon.

Larry made a motion to accept the Ambulance bottom line of $27,932, Gabby seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Lt. Mulhulland informed members that at the Building and Space Needs meeting on November 3, had voted to plan to go with the Allenstown Tractor store. It is the cheapest of the options that are available.

Carol asked if this building will be purchased, Lt. Mulhulland indicated that is correct. Carol asked if they were going to pay the asking price, Shawn indicated not exactly. The property is assessed at $495,000, the other option would be to build a new building at a price of $1.1 million and this does not include the land, the school proposal is $820,000. The Board of Selectmen and the committee both voted to pursue this proposal with a warrant article in March.

There will be some retrofit costs to the building. There will be some significant changes to the building. There will be an operating budget that this committee will have to consider for the 2005 budget if this building is purchased. The Selectmen have not seen these figures yet.

If this proposal does not pass and the Police Department continues to operate in the Town Hall, then there are some issues that need to be taken care of. Tom G. asked if that is what was detailed in the Banner today, Shawn noted that it is far beyond that.

Shawn thought that Peter’s plan was to have the figures for the Budget Committee meeting, then they could decide the issues. Jennifer noted that the Committee will be meeting again on November 18. Shawn noted that the Selectmen will have to review this also.

Jennifer asked when the Building Needs committee will inform the School Building Committee of this decision. Shawn stated that they will draw up an official letter.

Shawn noted that they are looking at $54,000 to make repairs downstairs, but it does not solve the problem, it will reduce the liability, but it will not eliminate it.

Tom G. stated that they are still left with the fact that the Police need a new building. Shawn stated that if this proposal does not go through, then we will have to spend the money.

David stated that many people will look at this as property that will be taken off the tax roll, but when you look at the cost of bonding for something new as opposed to buying that and what it pays in taxes, bonding for new is substantially more. The Selectmen have a plan, they will be setting the tax rate tomorrow and they have decided that they will set aside as a warrant article, which could be up to $250,000. So there will be two things, one will be the bond and then it needs to be explained that the maximum amount that it is going for, i.e. $600,000, if the $200,000 passes they will only issue $400,000 and they will unissue the $200,000 on the following election.

Tom G. stated that the most important point here is that we have to do a good enough job as a Board to at least understand the cost savings. From experience in other Towns, $1.1 million is a pipe dream to buy land, develop it and built on it unless you are looking for a trailer for a Police station. To buy a building like that and retrofit it, it is huge. Yes there are other issues, but we cannot let these other issues get in the way of passing something that is a bargain now.

Tom G. stated that $850,000 to retrofit the school means regardless of any other dreams you have, you have to build a school. You have to find a place to educate the kids in Town. Now you at least avoid this immediate issue for however long it takes for the School Department and the Town to agree on whether it is a new school that the Town needs or just to go ahead with the additions that have been proposed before.

Shawn stated that volunteers did the downstairs work, and any new building can be fixed up with volunteers also.

Larry stated that anyone who is worried about taking that property off the tax rolls needs to understand that if a new school is built, it will take more property off the tax rolls.

Shawn noted that the owner of the Allenstown Tractor property is willing to take the property off the market until March so we are lucky in this regard. Shawn noted that the heating system needs to be replaced and he has been checking out the sewer lines. Many times we fail to inform the public about all the facts of a particular situation and they have many questions, and he wants to be able to answer any questions.

Tom G. stated that what the Committee could do when a final proposal is agreed on to have a vote of confidence from the Budget Committee and then we could forward with this and we would have our recommendation on the Town warrant article. We could at least make a public statement stating what the Budget committee felt, whatever the outcome is.

Shawn stated that many people who have issues never say anything and this hurts us.

Jennifer stated that all we can do is inform and make sure everyone knows the facts.

Shawn stated that the insurance representative is coming to look at this building next week. If things don’t work out, we will continue to operate as we have in the past.

Shawn stated that the fencing on the ball fields will begin on Monday and he will be making sure that they do a good job. There will be a budget for the Committee to look at in two weeks.

Jennifer stated that the next meeting will be on November 18. Jennifer asked if the Selectmen had seen the Sewer budget yet, David stated that they do not see that budget. There is also the school, welfare, and personnel will have to be the last budget because it is tied into welfare. The Selectmen will probably review the Welfare and Cemetery on the 16^th.

David will check with Jim about the Sewer budget. Welfare will be done on the 16^th, but Personnel may not be finished. He is not sure if it will be done by the 18^th. David stated that the engineer has been chosen for the landfill and work should be starting no later than the first week of December. We are trying to use the land where they are again, so we are working with the engineers to help find a clean stop there. If we have to cap the land, it will cost $200,000 per acre and it will cost $1.6 million.

If the Sewer Budget is ready, we can start at 6:30 on the 18^th. We will let everyone know.

Tom G. made a motion to recess, Mona seconded. The meeting recessed at 8:15 p.m.