Town of Amherst Election is March 14

AMHERST, NH — Registered voters in Amherst will have the opportunity to vote for Town officers, the budget and other items on Tuesday, March 14 at Souhegan High School. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Here is a summary of the articles that will be voted on. Visit here for the full details.

Article 21: Selection of Town Officers to the following openings:

1 Selectman for 3 Years

Candidate: Thomas Grella

1 Cemetery Trustee for 3 Years

Candidate: Marie T. Grella

2 Library Trustees for 3 Years

Candidates:

Kimberly Ayers

Nancy Head

David Sturrock

1 Supervisor of the Checklist for 3 Years

Candidate:

Donella “Donni” Hodgkins

1 Town Clerk for 3 Years

Candidate:

Nancy Demers

1 Trustee of the Trust Funds for 3 Years

Candidate:

Scott Courtemanche

2 Zoning Board of Adjustment Member for 3 Years

Candidates:

Timothy McGibbon

James M. Ramsay

David Sturrock

Charles Vars

Article 22: Operating Budget

The proposed budget is $13,189,021. If defeated, the default budget would be $12,885,989. (Majority vote)

Article 23: Contingency Fund

Vote to establish a contingency fund for this year for unexpected expenses and to allocate one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for the fund. This money will come from the undesignated fund balance and not through taxes. Any monies left at the end of the year will go to the general fund.

Article 24: Police Union Contract

Vote to approve the cost items in a three (3) year collective bargaining agreement (beginning July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2020) reached between the Board of Selectmen and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 3657 (Police Union) and to raise fifty-three thousand three hundred sixty-three dollars ($53,363) for the current fiscal year, to cover additional costs related to the increase in salaries and benefits based on current staff levels.

Year Two (2) FY 19 $59,599 Year Three (3) FY 20 $27,253

Article 25: Special Meeting if Collective Bargaining Agreement is defeated

If Article 24 is defeated, this article would authorize the Board of Selectmen to call one special meeting, at its option, to address Article 24 – cost items only.

Article 26: Assessing Revaluation Capital Reserve Fund

Allocate twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) to the existing Assessing Revaluation Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 27: Communications Center Capital Reserve Fund

Allocate twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) to the existing Communications Center Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 28: Change of Purpose, Fire Truck Refurbish and Purchase Capital Reserve Fund

Vote to change the purpose of the existing Fire Truck /Refurbish and Purchase Capital Reserve Fund to the Fire Rescue Vehicle and Equipment Purchase and Repair Capital Reserve Fund, and name the selectmen as agents to disburse it. (2/3 vote required)

Article 25: Special Meeting if Collective Bargaining Agreement is defeated

Allocate two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) to the existing Fire Rescue Vehicle and Equipment Purchase and Repair Capital Reserve Fund. If Article 28 does not pass, this amount will be added to the existing Fire Truck Refurbish and Purchase Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 30: Ambulance Capital Reserve Fund

Add fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) to the existing Ambulance Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 31: Bridge Repair and Replacement Capital Reserve Fund

Add one hundred and fifteen thousand ($115,000) to the existing Bridge Repair and Replacement Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 32: Town Computer System Capital Reserve Fund

Add fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) to the existing Town Computer System Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 33: Elderly, Blind, and Disabled Exemption

Vote to modify the elderly, blind, and disabled exemptions from property

tax in the Town of Amherst, based on assessed value, for qualified taxpayers as follows:

For elderly persons:

-65 years of age up to 74 years inclusive, an exemption of $76,000 (formerly $71,000); -75 years of age up to 79 years inclusive, an exemption of $114,000 (formerly $107,000);

-80 years of age or older, an exemption of $151,000 (formerly $142,000); and

For blind persons of any age:

-an exemption of $37,000 (formerly $35,000); and

For disabled persons of any age:

-an exemption of $65,000 (formerly $61,000).

To qualify for any of the above exemptions, a person must have been a New Hampshire resident

for at least three (3) years (5 years for the disabled person), own real estate individually or jointly, or if the real estate is owned by such person’s spouse, they must have been married for at

least five (5) years.

In addition, the taxpayer must, for the elderly and the disabled exemptions only:

-have a net income of not more than $41,760, or if married, a combined net income of less than $57,000; and

-own assets not in excess of $150,000 excluding the value of the person’s residence in accordance with RSA 72:39-a.

Article 34: All Service Veterans’ Tax Credit

Vote to adopt the “all veterans’ property tax credit” of five hundred dollars ($500). If adopted, the credit will be available to any resident, or the spouse or surviving spouse of any resident, who (1) served not less than 90 days on active service in the armed forces of the United States and was honorably discharged or was an officer honorably separated from service, and (2) is not eligible for and not receiving the credit for veterans who served in a qualifying war or armed conflict or for veterans with a service-connected disability. If adopted, the credit will be in the amount of $500, which is the same amount as the credit for a veteran who served in a qualifying war or armed conflict. If the credit is adopted, any person desiring to claim the credit will be required to

Article 35: Build Forest View Cemetery

Allocate seventy thousand dollars ($70,000), for the purpose of defraying costs associated with construction of the Forest View Cemetery, and to authorize the withdrawal of said sum from the available balance in the expendable trust established pursuant to RSA 31:19-a, by the passage of warrant article No. 22, at the March 1987 annual town meeting, which expendable trust is known as the Cemetery Lot Trust Fund.

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