Hooksett’s budget process is well underway. On the town side of the budget, the town administrator begins the process in March with the update of the Capital Improvements Program. A capital improvement is defined by items with costs of at least $50,000 and generally have a useful life of at least five years.
Eligible items include acquisition of land or interests in land for public purposes, new buildings or additions, public infrastructure such as highways, sewer or water lines, or similar projects and major equipment purchases and replacements. It also includes the purchase or lease of wheeled vehicles, or motorized equipment having an expected life of at least three years.
In July, staff begin planning for the development of the operating budget. Town administrator meets with all departments, except library, which meets directly with town council and the wastewater department, which meets directly with the budget committee. The town administrator reviews the budget with the department heads, line by line, to ensure that the budget reflects the operational needs of the community and department.
The administrator’s budget then is submitted to the town council for review. The month of September is used by the town council to review, discuss, modify, when necessary, the budget submitted by the town. The town council’s final budget is voted on and submitted to the budget committee for its consideration.
In accordance with the budget procedure described in the charter, the town council shall present their budget to the budget committee and subsequent actions shall follow the Municipal Budget Act, RSA Chapter 32.
32:16 Duties and Authority of the Budget Committee. – In any town which has adopted the provisions of this subdivision, the budget committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
I. To prepare the budget as provided in RSA 32:5, and if authorized under RSA 40:14-b, a default budget under RSA 40:13, IX(b) for submission to each annual or special meeting of the voters of the municipality, and, if the municipality is a town, the budgets of any school district or village district wholly within the town, unless the warrant for such meeting does not propose any appropriation.
II. To confer with the governing body or bodies and with other officers, department heads and other officials, relative to estimated costs, revenues anticipated, and services performed to the extent deemed necessary by the budget committee. It shall be the duty of all such officers and other persons to furnish such pertinent information to the budget committee.
III. To conduct the public hearings required under RSA 32:5, I.
IV. To forward copies of the final budgets to the clerk or clerks, as required by RSA 32:5, VI, and, in addition, to deliver 2 copies of such budgets and recommendations upon special warrant articles to the respective governing body or bodies at least 20 days before the date set for the annual or special meeting, to be posted with the warrant.
State law provides the budget committee significant control over the final budget of the town, school and wastewater department. The residents and property owners are encouraged to attend any of these review sessions, whether at the town vouncil stage or the budget committee stage, to voice your input on the budget and what it includes. Last year, at the Deliberative Session, a resident stood and recommended that the budget be cut back to last year’s budget. The vote was seconded and the residents that attended the meeting agreed. At Town Meeting voting, residents voted down the Deliberative Session amendments and voted in a default budget.
With public input, our decision makers can provide guidance to staff on where the budget priorities should be. Hooksett department heads have done a good job in presenting budgets that meet the community’s needs while trying to reduce budget increases. I sincerely urge the community to get involved as early as possible.
