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Board of Selectmen — September 8, 2025

Amherst roads need $2.45M to stop declining — the FY27 ask is $1.7M, and a selectman warned the board's own budget habits are making it worse.

This was a substantive but collegial strategic planning session with no public opposition, no split votes, and no heated exchanges — the only friction was advisory in nature, with a board member cautioning staff about underfunding risks rather than opposing any action.

Date Monday, September 8, 2025 Duration 3.1h Speakers 9 Public comments 1 Decisions 10 Routine

Questions about this meeting? ⁠Just ask.

Ask MeetingWatch answers from this meeting’s report, transcript, and records — with linked sources.

Summary AI-generated to surface controversy & community impact without bias — always verify against the actual meeting before relying on it.

Here's what happened at the Amherst Board of Selectmen meeting on September 8, 2025 — and why it matters for your tax bill and your roads.

The biggest concrete concern is road maintenance. DPW Director Eric Slozik presented data showing it costs $2.45 million per year just to keep Amherst's road network from deteriorating further — not to improve it, just to hold the line. The FY27 budget request is $1.7 million, leaving a $750,000 gap. Selectman John D'Angelo said out loud what many residents may have suspected: the board has a history of pressuring departments to cut their numbers, not raise them. That pattern, if it continues, means roads will keep declining while the town kicks the cost down the road.

Also heading to Ways and Means for budget consideration: a Conservation Commission proposal for a $5–10 million warrant article for land acquisition over five years; a new $100,000 annual Capital Reserve Fund for DPW facilities; a new transfer station position; and a Conservation budget increase from $14,000 to $25,650. These requests arrived in the same meeting with no discussion of their combined impact on the tax rate. Residents should be asking Ways and Means and the board what the cumulative effect looks like.

Two other items deserve attention. The community power program — a new 36-month electricity supply contract affecting enrolled Amherst residents — is launching next month, yet the board itself acknowledged that another public hearing still needs to be scheduled. If you're enrolled and haven't received clear information about the new contract terms and your opt-out options, that's a gap that needs to be filled before the program goes live. And Amherst still does not have a permanent fire chief. The appointment has been delayed again, with a new presentation date of September 22 and an anticipated start date in mid-October. The town has been without permanent fire and rescue leadership for an extended period, and residents deserve a clear timeline for resolution.

The next Board of Selectmen meeting is September 22. That's when the fire chief appointment is expected, and when the utility assessment contract renewal will be discussed. Budget season is underway — Ways and Means meetings are the place to weigh in on these spending decisions before they reach Town Meeting.

Sep 8, 2025 3.1h long 9 speakers 1 public comments 10 decisions Routine
❝ Notable statements ↔ Drag to browse

“We currently manage approximately 3,000 acres of open space, which is about 13% of the land area of Amherst”

— Jared Hardner · Explaining Conservation Commission's current responsibilities 08:34

“Our principal priority, based on our knowledge and an external assessment that we had done, is that land protection is certainly the number one priority”

— Jared Hardner · Identifying top conservation priority for the town 27:16

“That's a picture of our basement storage area for our files. To me that's unacceptable and liability to the town going forward”

— Lincoln Bailey · Describing need for improved records management system 57:28

“I can tell you absolutely that it was a factor there... There was a lot of people who applied to the upper level positions who said they would not have considered it without the retirement system”

— Deb Dunn · Explaining success of transition to NH Retirement System for employee recruitment 1:02:23

“This is extremely impressive. As a tax collector, I know many, many, many tax collectors in many towns and their biggest problem is collections... being in Amherst, it's very fortunate to be in the status.”

— Robert Pegman Barnum · Praising Amherst's excellent tax collection rate compared to other municipalities 1:11:03

“Sometimes the Library is referred to as a non essential service. But quality of life issues are what drives someone to move to town... arguably that is the essence of the town.”

— Amy LaPointe · Defending the library's essential role in community quality of life 1:20:01

“Our single point of failure is insufficient level of staff to efficiently manage responsibilities”

— Eric Slozik · Discussing DPW's primary weakness in SWOT analysis 1:56:35

“We need a level of $2.45 million just to maintain the health of the network that we have out there today. That means that the network's not going to get better necessarily, it's not going to degrade and get worse.”

— Eric Slozik · Explaining road maintenance funding requirements based on RSMS report 1:56:35

“If you intend to use this CRF to give you any kind of flexibility, you're going to have to put more money into it than you currently plan to spend... My experience has been the board of selectmen is very good at telling you to cut numbers down. Very rarely do we tell you to increase your numbers.”

— John D'Angelo · Advising DPW on facility maintenance CRF funding strategy 2:37:31

“I am a resident of Amherst. I moved to town about 10 years ago. I grew up in Hollis. I've always liked this town very, very much and finally decided to buy a house in town.”

— Jeff Candido
This meeting — choose a section

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
What was discussed

Potential $5–10 million bond over five years for land acquisition; annual budget increase from $14,000 to $25,650 also proposed

What was discussed

Proposed $1.7M road budget still $750,000 short of the amount needed to simply maintain current road quality; continued degradation of road network anticipated

What was discussed

New recurring annual $100,000 CRF contribution proposed for FY27 facilities maintenance

What was discussed

Town-wide revaluation will reset assessments currently at 70.6% of market value; individual tax bills will shift based on relative appreciation

What was discussed

New 36-month electricity supply contract beginning next month; affects electricity rates for enrolled residents for three years

What was discussed

Permanent fire chief start date pushed to mid-October; department continues without permanent leadership

Topics ⁠discussed

Each topic expands to quotes and full context.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Greg Fritz
What was discussed

Meeting called to order and opened for public comment. Greg Fritz congratulated the board on hiring Jeff Candido as new finance director, praising his work on the school district's Ways and Means committee.

Speakers: Speaker F (Mark Vincent)
What was discussed

Town Moderator Mark Vincent introduced the 2025 Ways and Means Committee members and explained their role in reviewing the operating budget and warrant articles. He announced openings for additional members up to nine total plus alternates.

Speakers: Speaker D (Jared Hardner)
What was discussed

Chair Jared Hardner presented a comprehensive 10-year strategic plan for managing 3,000 acres of open space (13% of town). Plan includes six goals: expanding protected land to 15%, improving recreational infrastructure, controlling invasive species, forest/grassland management, community communications, and advisory services. Hardner requested budget increase from $14,000 to $25,650 annually, plus potential warrant article for $5-10 million over five years for land acquisition.

Speakers: Speaker C (Lincoln Bailey), Speaker E (Deb Dunn)
What was discussed

Town Administrator Lincoln Bailey and Finance Director Deb Dunn presented strategic goals including policy updates, enhanced communication, file management system, employee retention programs, and IT security improvements.

Speakers: Speaker I (Robert Pegman Barnum), Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Tax Collector Robert Pegman Barnum presented overview of tax collection and assessing operations, including property valuations showing $25+ million net increase and upcoming 2026 revaluation with current assessment ratio at 70.6%. The town has excellent tax collection rates with minimal outstanding balances.

Speakers: Amy LaPointe
What was discussed

Director Amy LaPointe presented the library's strategic plan focusing on enhancing quality of life, fostering literacy, providing learning opportunities, and maintaining community spaces. The library serves as a key community connector.

Speakers: Eric Slozik
What was discussed

Director Eric Slozik presented DPW's comprehensive strategic plan covering highways, facilities, transfer station, fleet, stormwater, community septic systems, and cemeteries. Major focus on staffing needs and infrastructure preservation. DPW currently has 15 full-time staff with one vacant fleet mechanic position, plus 7 part-time, 6 seasonal, and 10 on-call employees. Requesting $1.7 million for FY27 road budget, new $100,000 annual facility CRF, and new transfer station position.

Speakers: Eric Slozik
What was discussed

DPW seeking approval to hire Ryan Billings as master fleet mechanic at grade 12, step 5 ($69,848 annually).

Speakers: Lincoln Davenport, Jeff Candido
What was discussed

Town Administrator requesting board approval to hire Jeff Candido as Finance Director, bringing 10+ years experience from Milford Middle School District.

Speakers: Lincoln Davenport
What was discussed

Appointment of Jamie Ramsey as deputy health inspector for three-year term to enhance communication and responsiveness while awaiting new fire chief appointment.

Speakers: Lincoln Davenport, Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Creation of committee to plan commemorative programs for town's 250th anniversary in 2026, working with July 4th Committee and local organizations.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Board approved consent agenda including accounts payable, payroll, assessing timber tax levy, and solar exemptions.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Board approved use of town common for Amherst Junior Woman's Club annual Turkey Trot event on November 28, 2025, 7am-10:30am with Church Street closure. Also approved changing rain date for German Christmas market from Sunday December 14 to Saturday December 20.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Board approved minutes from August 14, 18, and 25, 2025 with specific corrections requested by board members regarding tax discussions and cost/value terminology.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Comprehensive review of vacancies across various town committees including Heritage Commission, Historic District Commission, Planning Board, Recreation Commission, and others, encouraging resident participation.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

New fire chief appointment delayed due to extensive background checks and medical requirements, with new presentation date scheduled for September 22 and anticipated start date in mid-October.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
What was discussed

Discussion of community power program starting next month, with plans for additional public hearing and publicity.

Controversy & ⁠dissent

Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.

Potentially controversial issues

01

Conservation Commission Open Space Warrant Article — Potential $5–10 Million Bond

A potential $5–10 million warrant article for land acquisition over five years would represent a significant tax burden on residents. While no formal vote was taken, the board forwarded the plan to Ways and Means, signaling serious consideration. Taxpayers with differing views on conservation spending versus tax relief will likely have strong opinions.
Board position: Board forwarded the strategic plan to Ways and Means for budget review; no explicit endorsement or rejection of the bond article yet, but no dissent was voiced against consideration.
high concern
02

DPW Road Budget Shortfall — $1.7M Requested vs. $2.45M Needed

DPW Director Slozik stated that $2.45 million is required just to maintain the road network without further degradation, yet the FY27 ask is only $1.7 million. This gap means roads will continue to decline, directly affecting all residents who use them. A board member (John D'Angelo) explicitly warned that the CRF funding strategy would be insufficient if the board historically pressure departments to cut numbers.
Board position: Board forwarded the plan to Ways and Means; no immediate funding commitment made. D'Angelo's caution implicitly acknowledged the underfunding risk.
medium concern
03

FY27 Preliminary Budget — Risk of Exceeding Tax Target with Multiple Large Requests

Multiple departments presented budget increases in the same meeting: Conservation requesting a budget increase from $14,000 to $25,650 plus a potential $5–10M bond; DPW requesting $1.7M road budget; a new $100,000 annual facility CRF; and a new transfer station position. Taken together, these competing demands create significant pressure on the FY27 budget and risk pushing the tax rate above the board's informal 3% target.
Board position: Board received all plans without pushback and forwarded to Ways and Means; no explicit acknowledgment of cumulative tax impact during the meeting.
medium concern
04

Fire Chief Appointment Delay — Continued Public Safety Leadership Gap

The permanent fire chief appointment has been delayed again, now pushed to a September 22 presentation with a mid-October start. The town has been operating without permanent fire/rescue leadership, a public safety concern for residents. The deputy health inspector appointment was partly framed as a stopgap measure during this transition.
Board position: Board accepted the delay as procedurally necessary due to background check and medical requirements; no urgency expressed beyond scheduling the next presentation.
medium concern
05

Community Power Program — New 36-Month Electricity Contract

The community power program is launching next month, affecting residents' electricity supply and rates for a three-year period. The board discussed the need for an additional public hearing, implicitly acknowledging that residents may not yet be fully informed. The program's details and opt-out mechanisms are not documented in the meeting summary.
Board position: Board signaled support for the program launch while acknowledging a need for more public outreach and a formal public hearing before full rollout.
medium concern
06

2026 Property Revaluation — Assessment Ratio at 70.6%

The current assessment ratio of 70.6% means properties are significantly undervalued relative to market, and the upcoming 2026 revaluation will likely produce large assessed value increases for many homeowners. This routinely triggers concerns about property tax increases even when the tax rate adjusts, because not all properties appreciate uniformly.
Board position: Board acknowledged the upcoming revaluation and tasked the town administrator with presenting a contractor recommendation within two weeks; no substantive policy discussion yet.
medium concern

Community vs. board tension

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
1
Total speakers
1
Addressed
0
Partial
0
Not addressed
Greg Fritz
01:10
Addressed
Greg Fritz congratulated the board and Jeff Candido on the decision to hire Candido as the new finance director. He praised Candido's work on the Amherst School District Ways and Means Committee over the past five years, noting his good performance on finance matters and keeping meetings on task. Key concern
Expressing congratulations and support for the hiring decision
Board response
The chair thanked him for his comment
This was a positive comment expressing support, and the board appropriately acknowledged his input with thanks

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
00:15
Motion to come out of recess
Board voted to come out of recess and begin the meeting
Approved unanimously
All strategic plans forwarded to Ways and Means Committee for review
Board approved forwarding conservation commission, administration/finance, tax collector, library, and DPW strategic plans to Ways and Means for budget consideration
Approved by motion
2:44:03
Approved hiring Ryan Billings as master fleet mechanic
Grade 12, step 5 at $33.56 per hour ($69,848 annually), effective upon satisfactory pre-employment physical, anticipated start September 9th
Unanimous approval (5-0)
2:45:38
Approved hiring Jeffrey Candido as Finance Director
Grade 19, step 9 at $59.20 per hour ($123,136 annually), start date September 29, 2025
Unanimous approval (5-0)
2:49:41
Appointed Jamie Ramsey as Deputy Health Inspector
Three-year term expiring September 2028, duties aligned with Department of Health and Human Services process
Unanimous approval (5-0)
2:51:58
Approved formation of 250th Anniversary Committee
Committee to operate under Board of Selectmen with town administration and recreation director as staff support
Unanimous approval (5-0)
2:52:50
Approved consent agenda
AP and payroll, assessing timber tax levy and solar exemptions
Unanimous approval (5-0)
2:54:00
Approved Turkey Trot use of town common
Amherst Junior Woman's Club annual event November 28, 2025, 7am-10:30am with Church Street closure in front of Congregational Church
Unanimous approval (5-0)
2:55:41
Approved German Christmas Market rain date change
Changed rain date from Sunday December 14th to Saturday December 20th at same times and arrangements
Unanimous approval (5-0)
2:56:17
Approved meeting minutes with corrections
Minutes of August 14, 18, and 25, 2025 with various corrections including tax discussion edits and cost/value terminology changes
Unanimous approval (5-0)

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Chronic road underfunding and board's own role in perpetuating it
Amherst DPW says it needs $2.45M just to stop roads from getting worse. The FY27 ask is $1.7M — $750K short. A selectman warned the board historically pressures departments to cut further. 9/8/25 meeting.
204/280 chars
Potential large bond commitment that taxpayers should be tracking
Amherst's Conservation Commission is proposing a $5–10 million warrant article for land acquisition over 5 years. No vote yet, but the board forwarded it to Ways & Means without dissent. 9/8/25 Board of Selectmen meeting.
221/280 chars
Residents being locked into a multi-year electricity contract without adequate prior notice
Amherst's community power program launches next month — locking residents into a new 36-month electricity contract. The board itself acknowledged a public hearing still needs to happen. If you're enrolled, pay attention. 9/8/25 BOS meeting.
240/280 chars
Ongoing public safety leadership gap in fire and rescue
Amherst still has no permanent fire chief. Appointment pushed again — presentation now Sept 22, start date mid-October. The town has been operating without permanent fire/rescue leadership for an extended period. 9/8/25 BOS meeting.
232/280 chars

X thread

1
🧵 Amherst Board of Selectmen met 9/8/25 for a full round of department strategic plan presentations. Several issues residents should be watching closely — especially heading into FY27 budget season. Thread:
206/280
2
🛣️ Roads: DPW Director Eric Slozik said it takes $2.45M/year just to prevent the road network from getting worse. The FY27 budget request is $1.7M — a $750K gap. Selectman D'Angelo warned: the board historically tells departments to cut, not increase. That habit has a cost.
274/280
3
🌳 Conservation Commission wants to expand protected land from 13% to 15% of town acreage. That could mean a $5–10M warrant article for land acquisition over 5 years, plus raising the annual budget from $14K to $25,650. No vote yet — it's headed to Ways & Means.
261/280
4
⚡ Community power program launches next month. That's a new 36-month electricity supply contract for enrolled Amherst residents. The board acknowledged another public hearing is needed. If you haven't heard much about this yet, that's the problem.
247/280
5
🚒 Still no permanent fire chief. The appointment was delayed again — background checks and medical requirements cited. New presentation date: Sept 22. Anticipated start: mid-October. The deputy health inspector appointment was partly a stopgap during this gap in leadership.
274/280
6
📊 Multiple departments requested significant budget increases in the same meeting: Conservation, DPW roads ($1.7M), a new $100K/year facilities capital reserve fund, and a new transfer station position. The board received all of it without discussing cumulative tax impact.
273/280
7
📋 Bottom line: FY27 budget season is underway and the numbers are stacking up. Ways & Means will review all of these plans. If you care about your tax bill — or your roads — now is the time to pay attention and show up.
219/280

Facebook — long form

Here's what happened at the Amherst Board of Selectmen meeting on September 8, 2025 — and why it matters for your tax bill and your roads.

The biggest concrete concern is road maintenance. DPW Director Eric Slozik presented data showing it costs $2.45 million per year just to keep Amherst's road network from deteriorating further — not to improve it, just to hold the line. The FY27 budget request is $1.7 million, leaving a $750,000 gap. Selectman John D'Angelo said out loud what many residents may have suspected: the board has a history of pressuring departments to cut their numbers, not raise them. That pattern, if it continues, means roads will keep declining while the town kicks the cost down the road.

Also heading to Ways and Means for budget consideration: a Conservation Commission proposal for a $5–10 million warrant article for land acquisition over five years; a new $100,000 annual Capital Reserve Fund for DPW facilities; a new transfer station position; and a Conservation budget increase from $14,000 to $25,650. These requests arrived in the same meeting with no discussion of their combined impact on the tax rate. Residents should be asking Ways and Means and the board what the cumulative effect looks like.

Two other items deserve attention. The community power program — a new 36-month electricity supply contract affecting enrolled Amherst residents — is launching next month, yet the board itself acknowledged that another public hearing still needs to be scheduled. If you're enrolled and haven't received clear information about the new contract terms and your opt-out options, that's a gap that needs to be filled before the program goes live. And Amherst still does not have a permanent fire chief. The appointment has been delayed again, with a new presentation date of September 22 and an anticipated start date in mid-October. The town has been without permanent fire and rescue leadership for an extended period, and residents deserve a clear timeline for resolution.

The next Board of Selectmen meeting is September 22. That's when the fire chief appointment is expected, and when the utility assessment contract renewal will be discussed. Budget season is underway — Ways and Means meetings are the place to weigh in on these spending decisions before they reach Town Meeting.

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Meet after strategic plan presentations and follow budget meeting schedule
Assigned: Ways and Means Committee · Due: Ongoing through budget season
Review and potentially replace current financial software system
Assigned: Town Administrator and Finance Director · Due: During FY27
Present revaluation services contractor recommendation to board
Assigned: Town Administrator · Due: Two weeks from meeting date
Provide detailed information on NH Retirement System transition success to Ways and Means
Assigned: Finance Director · Due: During budget discussions
Present utility assessment contract renewal discussion
Assigned: Town Administrator · Due: September 22nd meeting
Work with Lincoln and Debbie on electronic file storage implementation
Assigned: Tax Collector · Due: Ongoing
Continue expanding digital resources while maintaining physical collection
Assigned: Library Director · Due: Ongoing
Plan children's room renovation and redesign
Assigned: Library Director · Due: Near future
Complete facility condition assessment report implementation
Assigned: DPW Director · Due: Upon receipt of final report
Complete draft IDDE ordinance
Assigned: DPW Director · Due: This month
Conduct annual DPW employee survey
Assigned: DPW Director · Due: This fall
Work with new fire chief to appoint health inspector when current term expires September 14th
Assigned: Lincoln Davenport · Due: September 14, 2025
Contact stakeholders for 250th anniversary committee to get initiative started
Assigned: a speaker · Due: As soon as possible (noted they are behind schedule)
Post committee vacancy list prominently on website front page
Assigned: Town administration · Due: Soon
Check actual start date for community power program and plan public hearing
Assigned: a speaker · Due: Next meeting or early October
Work with Christie to incorporate new state regulatory changes into local zoning ordinances and land use regulations
Assigned: Planning Board/ZBA · Due: For 2026 zoning changes
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Report composed by claude-opus-4-6 · analyzed 2026-06-01.