The budget and associated materials are now available here.
These materials will be helpful in understanding the currently proposed budget and warrant articles.
The Budget Committee Public Hearing will be held on Saturday, January 12that 9:00am at the Grade School
The Town of Rollinsford has voted to institute the Official Ballot Referenda, or “SB 2”. This is a new form of town meeting, consisting of two sessions – the deliberative session and the vote. Your attendance at all of the meetings is important.
But wait! Before we vote, this Saturday, January 12that 9:00am at the Grade School will be the Budget Committee’s public hearing on the Town and Water and Sewer District budgets. The Budget Committee will hear public comment then meet immediately following the public hearing to decide whether or not to modify the budget based on what they heard at the public hearing.
The first session of Town Meeting (yes, it is still called that, it’s just a different form now) is the deliberative session and is scheduled for 9:00 am on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at the Grade School. This is the closest equivalent to the town meeting you are used to. This will be the only time you can voice your opinion and offer amendments to the proposed operating budget and warrant articles presented. Any warrant article language or dollar amount may be modified by the registered voters present.
At the second session (the vote), the polls will be open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm Tuesday, March 12, 2019 for the ballot vote on the budget and warrant articles as amended at the first session. This is a vote only – discussion and amendments cannot occur. Should the proposed operating budget fail, and a special meeting is not called to reconsider this, a “default budget” is automatically adopted. The “default budget” is the same as the prior year’s budget with certain adjustments per state statute. The law does not allow reconsideration of votes cast on warrant articles other than the operating budget.
Date correction (from initial publication in the newsletter mailed with tax bills):
Want to Know Where Your Tax Dollars Go?
To be informed, express your own opinions, find out what others think and help spend our tax money wisely, you will want to attend the deliberative sessions to review the proposed budget warrant articles for the town and the school. The town deliberative session will be on Saturday, February 2, 2019, at 9:00 am and the school deliberative session will be held on Tuesday, February 5, at 6 pm. Both will be held at the Rollinsford Grade School (RGS). Public hearings on these budgets are scheduled for Saturdays, January 5 & 12, 9 am RGS
The Town of Rollinsford Select Board will be holding two public hearings on Monday, January 14, 2019 at the Rollinsford American Legion on Foundry Street. The first, at 6:00 pm, will be regarding the bonding of approximately $2.4 million dollars for a new combined Police Station/Town Office facility at 472 Silver Street. The second will commence at 6:30 pm or immediately following the previous public hearing and will address proposed changes to the Housing Standards Ordinance in reference to nuisance properties. Details of both proposals are available at the town office.
The Select Board’s regular weekly meeting will commence immediately following the public hearings at the same location.
The Select Board has been operating with less than optimal administrative support. This was validated by the report of the Ad Hoc Town Manager Committee which is viewable here.
Faced with the choice between a Town Manager and a Town Administrator, the Select Board decided that a Town Administrator was the best first-step for Rollinsford. A future Board could certainly advocate to change the form of government to a Town Manager but this Board felt that keeping the current form of government and adding an Administrator was more appropriate. This will keep more authority with the Select Board, easing Rollinsford into this change in administration.
Last night the Select Board took the historic step of appointing Caroline Kendall to the new position of Town Administrator. This was an action that took many months of deliberation. The Board has felt as though it was time, after years of conversation and bemoaning the lack of administrative support, to take this important step. This will not immediately solve any administrative support problems as it is only a change in title. The goal is, with the passing of the budget, to hire a part-time bookkeeper to assist Caroline and free her time to fulfill more Town Administrator duties.
Caroline has served on the School Board, Budget Committee, CIP Committee prior to her employment with the Town. She has also served on the Planning Board and is a Water and Sewer District Commissioner. This past December Caroline graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Hampshire with her Masters of Public Administration. The Board wanted to recognize that many of the functions Caroline has been filling are Town Administrator duties. With her job experience, prior board and committee experience and her education, we felt it was logically the next step in the progression of advancing administrative support for the Town.
Here is a link to the job description for this position. Note that it is long and very comprehensive. The Board addressed in our offer letter to Caroline that we fully understand that without additional support there are many functions that will continue to go unserved. However, we felt as though it is important for us all to recognize what this job should be and what we are striving to achieve.
Most employees who currently report directly to the Board will continue to do so. The only change in organizational structure is that the Building Inspector, Janitor, minute-takers and Bookkeeper (should that new position get approved) will report directly to Caroline.
We hope that you will embrace Caroline in this new position. This is a transition period and we are all learning as we go. The Board is committed to evaluating the situation as it evolves and hope that you all will offer Caroline your congratulations and support.
Please mark the following dates on your calendar in preparation for the upcoming vote in March 2019. Attending the deliberative session will ensure that your voice is heard during deliberations and that you will be informed for voting day.
Details on all upcoming dates:
Tuesday, January 8, 2019 – Deadline for Submitting Petitioned Warrant Articles
Petitioned warrant articles for the Rollinsford SB-2, 1st Session, should be submitted to the SAU 56 office: 51 West High Street, Somersworth, NH. For more information, call 603-692-4450.
January 23, 2018 – February 1, 2019: Filing Period for School District Officers
The following positions will be on the ballot:
If you wish to run for an open position, please pick up an application at the SAU 56 office (M-F 8:00-4:00): 51 West High Street, Somersworth, NH.
Tuesday, February 5, 2019 – Rollinsford School Budget Deliberative Session
6:00 PM in the RGS gym. Please note that this meeting is on a Tuesday evening. Child care will be provided.
During the deliberative session voters may offer comments and ask questions about the proposed budget and warrant articles for the 2019-2020 school year, as well as propose and vote on amendments.
Snow date: February 9, 2019 at 9:00 AM
Tuesday, March 12, 2019: VOTING DAY
See you at the polls!
Meet our new administrators! Visithttp://bit.ly/schoolboardfaq for profiles of our new school and district administrators. The School Board will also be preparing FAQs about the proposed school budget and warrant articles and will post them on the same web page. Stay tuned!
The responsibilities of the position include:
Must have great written communication skills.
The ideal candidate would be available to fill in to take minutes for other board meetings as needed.
The Budget Committee meets quarterly and also almost weekly in the fall on Wednesday nights at the town office at 6:30pm.
If interested, please submit a resume and coverletter to [email protected]
The Budget Committee will be meeting on Wednesday, January 9th at 6:30pm at the Town Hall
The Budget Committee will be holding a public hearing on the Town Budget and the Water and Sewer District Budget on Saturday, January 12th at 9am at the Rollinsford Grade School
The Planning Board is postponing the January meeting. There is no meeting Tuesday, January 1st.
The Planning Board will meet Tuesday, January 8th.
The Select Board will be meeting on Thursday, January 3rd at 6:30pm at the Town Hall.