Accountability posts
Drafts ready to share. Click to copy, then post. Board of Selectmen · Amherst, NH · November 18, 2024.
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7.2% municipal budget increase and unresolved capital costs
Amherst BOS 11/18: Your FY2026 budget is on track for a 7.2% increase — roads, stormwater, equipment, PFAS cleanup. That's before a fire truck replacement still unresolved due to vendor failure. Taxpayers should be watching this closely.
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Long-term fiscal commitment of lake phosphorus control plan
Amherst 11/18: A watershed phosphorus control plan for local lakes carries an estimated total cost of $800K–$900K over multiple years. The $170K piece is already in the draft budget. Concerns about justifying the expense were raised — but it stayed in.
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Employee compensation above market midpoint in a high-budget-increase year
Amherst 11/18: Salary data shows town employee wages average $4,500 ABOVE the midpoint of comparable towns — in a budget year with a 7.2% overall increase. The board acknowledged the data. No corrective action was proposed.
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Fire tower truck replacement uncertainty and public safety gap
Amherst 11/18: The planned fire tower truck purchase fell apart due to vendor issues. Used replacements range $100K–$458K. Funding still being worked out. The board gave the fire chief two weeks to report back. Public safety equipment in limbo.
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🧵 Amherst Board of Selectmen met 11/18/24 for a long budget session. Here's what residents need to know before this goes to a vote. THREAD:
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1/ The draft FY2026 budget is up 7.2% overall — and that number EXCLUDES the fire tower truck replacement, which is still unresolved. Key drivers: road reconstruction, stormwater compliance, equipment, and PFAS cleanup.
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2/ Roads: The board is pursuing a $200K/year increase for two years to reach a $1.7M annual road budget. Some road work will be deferred to free up matching funds for a federal Village Streets grant. Your road may wait longer as a result.
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3/ Stormwater: MS4 federal compliance is driving a $157,500 ask this year — reduced from $376K thanks to a loan. But the bigger number is the lake phosphorus control plan: estimated $800K–$900K total over multiple years. Concerns about justifying it were raised at the meeting.
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4/ Salary data presented at the meeting shows Amherst employee wages average $4,500 above the midpoint of surveyed comparable towns. In a 7.2% budget year, the board acknowledged this finding but proposed no corrective action.
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5/ The planned fire tower truck purchase collapsed due to vendor problems. Used truck options range from $100K to $458K. Funding source (capital reserve + unassigned fund balance) still being sorted. Fire chief has two weeks to come back with options.
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6/ PFAS remediation: ARPA funds are nearly exhausted. The town still needs ~$50K in FY26. Contractor selection is due by Dec. 13. This is a public safety issue — residents should watch whether that deadline is met.
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7/ On the positive side: the board unanimously approved a $900K federal TAP grant application for a school campus trail project. The 20% match is already in a capital reserve fund — no new taxpayer dollars needed for the match.
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8/ Bottom line: This is a budget with real tradeoffs — deferred roads, a multi-year environmental obligation, compensation above market, and a public safety equipment gap. Residents should show up or tune in as this moves toward Town Meeting.
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Longer-form draft.
📋 AMHERST BOARD OF SELECTMEN — November 18, 2024 Budget Session Summary The Amherst Board of Selectmen spent most of their November 18th meeting working through Draft Two of the FY2026 municipal budget. The overall proposed increase is 7.2% — and that number does not yet include a fire tower truck replacement, which remains unresolved after the original vendor deal fell through. Residents should understand what's driving these numbers before this budget goes to Town Meeting. Here are the key items: 🔹 ROADS: The board is planning a $200,000/year increase for two years to reach a $1.7 million annual road reconstruction budget. Some road projects will be pushed back to free up matching funds for a federal Village Streets grant covering intersection improvements. 🔹 STORMWATER & LAKE HEALTH: Federal MS4 compliance is driving a $157,500 request this year (down from $376K due to a forgivable loan). But embedded in this is a watershed-based phosphorus control plan for Amherst's lakes with a total estimated cost of $800,000–$900,000 over multiple years. Concerns about justifying that expense were raised at the meeting — but the item remained in the draft budget. 🔹 EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION: Salary comparison data presented at the meeting shows Amherst employee wages average $4,500 above the midpoint of towns surveyed for comparison. In a year with a 7.2% overall budget increase, the board acknowledged this data but proposed no corrective action. 🔹 FIRE TRUCK: The planned tower truck purchase was derailed by vendor problems. Used alternatives range from $100,000 to $458,000. The fire chief has two weeks to report back on options. Critical public safety equipment is in limbo. 🔹 PFAS REMEDIATION: Federal ARPA funding is nearly gone. The town estimates it needs approximately $50,000 more in FY2026 for PFAS cleanup. Contractor selection is scheduled by December 13th — a deadline worth watching. 🔹 GOOD NEWS: The board unanimously approved applying for a $900,000 federal TAP grant to build trails on the school campus. The required 20% match is already set aside in a capital reserve fund. The budget is still in draft form, but decisions made now shape what goes to voters. If you care about your tax bill or these specific issues, now is the time to pay attention — not after Town Meeting ballots are printed.