The Gilford Taxpayers Coalition recently mailed out its annual voters guide to town residents in advance of the vote. Originally scheduled for March 14th, it was postponed due to an impending snowstorm and will take place this coming Tuesday March 28th. They have provided a copy for Bastion readers that live in Gilford for those that might not have received it. They ask that you share it with friends and neighbors and feel free to take a copy into the booth to assist in your ballot voting. Included in their package was a reprint of an earlier Bastion post on the subject of unexpended fund balances and capital reserve accounts.

Gilford Taxpayers Coalition

P.O. Box 7197, Gilford, NH 03247-7197

February 25, 2023

                  Greetings to all of our supporters and fiscally concerned Gilford voters.

This year’s Town and School voting takes place at the Gilford Community Center from 7 AM to 7 PM on Tuesday March 14, 2023. [March 28, 2023] As always there are critical financial issues on the ballot. Please vote absentee if you qualify and can’t vote in person. Check in with the town clerk ASAP if you are considering doing this.

We have reviewed the upcoming ballot and are sharing our voting strategy hoping you will agree and join us in bringing some sense of the present reality to the ballot booth. We are recommending a NO VOTE on both the School and Town budgets. The default budgets will more than adequately fund all necessary expenditures. Fiscal Conservatism is the right choice. Our local Government can run efficiently while keeping controls on expenditures.

We reiterate our position on the usage of “Capital Reserve Funds” (CRF’s) The Warrant Articles continue to ask for funding by using the “Surplus Fund Balance” from unexpended tax dollars of the previous year to use on a future request. These CRF’s are large amounts of taxpayer money. Currently the Town has $2.6 million in these accounts. While sounding good, the normal, healthy debate and scrutinization of large capital items is glossed over. We are not certain that we get good value from this process. There definitely are valid arguments about who is paying for this method, current or future taxpayers? We believe that bonding expenditures of capital items is fair and the most equitable method. Another way of looking at the balances that is held in the CRF’s is “over taxation” or “over budgeting”. We need to recognize this is our tax money and being reasonably “lean” is a good way to keep our officials accountable. The process is not transparent. In prior years we have asked the town administrators to publish the financial data and balances within the warrant. Although they agreed to do so, they have never done it.

Voter turnout remains critical. Electing fiscally responsible people for the various offices is essential to having realistic budgets and expenditures. Local spending continues to outpace inflation and incomes. Taxpayers on fixed and lower incomes have been hit the hardest. Federal spending policies have been growing and unrelenting. We can mitigate some of the effects by having sound oversight and moderate spending at our local level. Vote conservatively to lessen the impact on our property taxes.

EVERY VOTE COUNTS!

What follows is a summary review of the Warrant Articles accompanied with Sample Ballots of our positions.

2023 Gilford Annual Town Meeting Ballot and Warrant Recommendations

ARTICLE 1: To choose the necessary Town Officers for the following year; to wit:

• One Selectman for a three year term;
• One Town Clerk-Tax Collector for a three year term;
• One Treasurer for a three year term;
• One Trustee of Trust Funds for a three year term;
• One Library Trustee for a three year term;
• One Cemetery Trustee for a three year term;
• Three Budget Committee Members for three year terms;
• One Budget Committee Member for a one year term;
• One Fire Engineer for a three year term.

                      [SEE SAMPLE BALLOT FOR GTC RECOMMENDATIONS]

ARTICLE 2.1: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment Number 1 as proposed by the Gilford Planning Board for the Gilford Zoning Ordinance as follows?

• Create a new Article 22, Short-Term Rentals, to regulate the impact of short-term rental of dwelling units (etc)
• This is a needed change to address the ongoing problem of short-term rentals in residential areas VOTE YES

ARTICLE 2.2: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment Number 2 as proposed by the Gilford Planning Board for the Gilford Zoning Ordinance?

• Removes language not supported by state law. VOTE YES

ARTICLE 2.3: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment Number 3 as proposed by the Gilford Planning Board for the Gilford Zoning Ordinance?

• Regarding excavation and fill on slopes. Housekeeping change- VOTE YES

ARTICLE 3: Operating budget totaling $16,913,194; Default budget of $15,604,596

• Up $1.3 Million or, 8.4%.The Default Budget will support town obligations. VOTE NO

ARTICLE 4: DPW Collective Bargaining Agreement

• Described as a “catch up” to surrounding municipalities. GTC takes NO POSITION on this.

ARTICLE 5: Police Collective Bargaining Agreement

• Described as a “catch up” to surrounding municipalities. GTC takes NO POSITION on this.

ARTICLE 6: Town Beach Bathhouse Capital Reserve Fund

• More discussion is needed. See the attached essay regarding unexpended fund balances and Capital Reserve Accounts versus bonding. VOTE NO

ARTICLE 7: New Fire Engine Lease

• Should be bonded, or simply paid for by voted appropriation. See the attached essay regarding unexpended fund balances. VOTE NO

ARTICLE 8: Purchase DPW pick-up / plow truck with unexpended fund balance monies.

• Should be bonded, or simply paid for by voted appropriation. See the attached essay regarding unexpended fund balances. VOTE NO

ARTICLE 9: Purchase DPW skid steer with unexpended fund balance monies.

• Should be bonded, or simply paid for by voted appropriation. See the attached essay regarding unexpended fund balances. VOTE NO

ARTICLES 10 thru 16, 18,19 & 20: Adding money to existing Capital Reserve Funds (CRFs) from unexpended fund balance monies.

• See the attached essay regarding unexpended fund balances and Capital Reserve Accounts versus bonding.
• These represent some $836K to be added to CRFs already totaling in excess of $2.6 million.VOTE NO on ALL

ARTICLE 17: Glendale Boat and Launch Ramp Facilities Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund

• This sum to come from surplus fund balance using Glendale Permit revenues that were deposited into the general fund, therefore is a user-paid function. VOTE YES

ARTICLE 21: $58,000 to be added to the Lakes Business Park Capital Trust Fund

• This is an ongoing bad deal AKA, a “gift that keeps on giving” and an example of how poorly thought plans have long-lasting implications.
• Since it comes, again, from the Unexpended Fund Balance rather than a proper vote on an appropriation, we recommend to VOTE NO and send a message.

ARTICLE 22: Sewer Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund

• This sum to come from the Sewer Fund balance and is a user-paid function. VOTE YES

ARTICLES 23 thru 26: Outside Agency Requests

• So-called “outside agencies” that are non-profit groups not affiliated with the town’s structure and therefore there is no oversight on our behalf.
• Taxpayers can choose to donate on their own. VOTE NO

ARTICLE 27: $500 Optional Veteran’s tax credit to honorably discharged veterans

• We should all appreciate our veterans. VOTE YES

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                                2023 Gilford Annual School District Meeting Ballot and Warrant Recommendations

ARTICLE 01: To choose School District Officers

• School District Moderator for a one-year term
• School District Clerk for a one-year term
• School District Treasurer for a one-year term
• School Board Member for a three-year term;

                      [SEE SAMPLE BALLOT FOR GTC RECOMMENDATIONS]

ARTICLE 02: General Budget Funds totaling $27,475,567, Default budget of $26,868,288

• The Default Budget will support school needs and obligations. VOTE NO

ARTICLE 03: GEA three-year collective bargaining agreement

• The cost is actually higher because the step increases  are not included. The raises for each year are 3.5%, 3%  & 3%. The compounding cumulative effect makes these %’s higher. VOTE NO

ARTICLE 04: Request for Special School District Meeting if budget fails to pass.

• If the budget fails, the Default Budget is adopted. Not necessary. VOTE NO

ARTICLES 05, 06, & 07: Capital Reserve Funds from unexpended (surplus) balances.

• See the attached essay regarding unexpended fund balances and Capital Reserve Accounts versus bonding. VOTE NO

[Click HERE to read the essay below in full size]