April 14th - Special Edition - Select Board Newsletter
Dear Stratham Residents,
Please read below for news and notes from the Town of Stratham.
In this edition:
- Farewell and Thank You to Town Treasurer Deb Bronson
- Update on Town Budget and 2020 Town Meeting Postponement
- Town Buildings Closure Extended
- Monitoring the Town Meeting Date
Please remind your neighbors about this resource for keeping on top of information from the Town. To sign-up for these updates and other notifications, please visit: https://www.strathamnh.gov/subscribe.
The Select Board
Michael Houghton, Chairman Joe Lovejoy, Vice Chair Allison Knab
Farewell and Many Thanks to Town Treasurer Deb Bronson
Much of the work of our Town is completed by selfless and dedicated people with a strong commitment to our Town. Deb Bronson is one of them. For more than six years, Deb has served as the Town’s Treasurer. This includes working closely with the Town’s finance team and administration as well as the Select Board. Over this time, Deb has been a careful steward of the Town’s financial assets and various accounts including proactively working to refinance debt of the Town in order to save considerable interest expenses. Deb, her husband and daughter live in Stratham and we are grateful for her service and commitment to the Town. Thank you Deb.
Next time we will introduce you to our new Treasurer!
Update on Town Budget and the 2020 Town Meeting Postponement
In addition to managing the Town’s operations during the Pandemic, the Select Board has also been working with staff to understand the impact of the public health emergency and likely resulting economic downturn on the Town’s finances, including its budget. In addition, but related, the Town has not adopted an appropriation for the current year. Typically, in the Traditional Town Meeting form of government, the budget is adopted at Town Meeting 2.5 months into the fiscal year (calendar year). This year the Town will be 5.5 months into its budget year before an appropriation by the Town Meeting is voted upon (if the Town is able to hold its Town meeting as planned on May 16th - see below for more information).
The School and County appropriations are set for this year, at this time, only the appropriation for Town services is not. The outstanding appropriation is for the Operating Budget of the Town which includes police, fire, public works, recreation, town clerk, building & planning, administration, assessing and other services. In any given year, the Town appropriation is about 19% of the overall tax bill (the other 81% being made up of County and School taxes).
During this unprecedented time, the Select Board’s goal is to actively and responsibly manage the Town Government’s finances in a time of great uncertainty and complexity by balancing the needs of residents (for local government services listed above) and their ability to fund those services.
Here are several variables we are monitoring and adjusting to respond:
Expenditures - We have instituted a freeze on all discretionary expenditures. All departments have been instructed to only commit to or incur expenses for those items absolutely essential for maintaining current services. We have also frozen all hiring of temporary, seasonal and part-time employees. While these instructions pertain to Fire and Police services, the Board is working to ensure adequate staffing and resources for these departments during this emergency. While the Town purchases some equipment, supplies and contracted services and other items such as annual paving preservation in its operating budget, over 57% of our Town budget is made up of personnel expenses (wages, salaries and benefits). We are assessing all of the Town’ expenditures in order to adjust to the financial realities the situation has presented.
Revenues - We will be assessing the Town’s revenues as new data and collections come in. At this time, we only have data through March. Some of the Town’s revenues such as building permits and motor vehicle registrations are typically affected by economic downturns. Over 55% of our revenues for the Town come from the local property tax; these bills go out in June and are due in July. We do not know the impact of the emergency at this time on property tax receipts; we will have greater insight in this area as receipts begin to come in.
Cash Flows - The Town government also collects the taxes raised for the schools and the county. During the course of the year disbursements are paid out to the SAU and county. These payments must be made even when revenues (from any source) decrease. We are working to manage this situation with the help of the SAU and others.
As the weeks and months unfold and we will learn more about the length and impact of the current emergency will have on the broader economy and Town government. We will work to keep you informed as well as balance the community’s needs for service with the ability to fund them.
Town Buildings Closure Extended through May 4th
The Select Board has extended the closure of Town buildings to the public to Monday May 4th. This date coincides with the current expiration of the Governor’s stay at home order. Town services continue to be available for residents via a variety of modes. See our April 10th newsletter for a description.
Monitoring the Town Meeting date of May 16th
In the coming weeks, the Select Board, Moderator and administration will coordinate to review the most up to date information and guidance related to the pandemic and what it means for the May 16th Town Meeting date; we will keep the community up to date on this issue going forward.