Accountability Posts

X / ⁠Twitter

Individual posts for different angles. Pick the one that fits your audience.

Board authorized spending above the voter-approved warrant article amount using capital reserve funds

Amherst voters approved $1.9M for a new aerial fire truck. On 12/8, the BOS voted 5-0 to approve a $2.217M purchase and authorized up to $375K from capital reserves to cover the gap. No separate voter approval for the overage.

226/280 chars

Cumulative tax and budget impact heading toward public hearing

Amherst FY27 budget draft: $18,898,485 — up $600K (3.27%). Fire capital reserve rising 50% ($267K→$400K/yr). A $10M open space bond may hit the 2027 warrant. Public hearing coming soon — time to pay attention.

209/280 chars

Gap in aerial fire coverage during new truck construction

For 12–13 months, Amherst will have no aerial fire truck while the new one is built. The town will rely on mutual aid from Milford, Bedford, Merrimack, and Nashua. The board says coverage is adequate. Worth knowing.

215/280 chars

Gambling opt-out issue raised during warrant articles review

At the 12/8 BOS meeting, a board member flagged that NH law now allows keno and games of chance in Amherst by default unless the town opts out. A warrant article may follow. This came up during warrant review — no prior public notice.

234/280 chars

X ⁠thread

Post these in sequence for maximum impact.

1

THREAD: Amherst Board of Selectmen met 12/8/2025. Several significant financial decisions were made, all by unanimous vote. Here's what happened and why it matters. 🧵

166/280

2

1/ Voters approved a $1.9M warrant article for a new aerial fire truck. The board approved a purchase agreement with Pierce Manufacturing at $2.217M — $317K over — with a contract cap of $2.275M. They also authorized up to $375K in capital reserve withdrawals to cover the gap. No separate voter authorization for the overage.

326/280

3

2/ The board also voted 5-0 to sell the town's 2001 E1 aerial truck through broker Brindley Mountain Fire Apparatus (5% fee, reduced from 10%). Proceeds route through the general fund, then back to the fire capital reserve via a future warrant article.

252/280

4

3/ During the warrant articles review, a board member flagged that the NH legislature passed a law making keno and games of chance available in towns BY DEFAULT unless a town opts out via warrant article. No vote yet, but a warrant article may be drafted. This is a community values question.

292/280

5

4/ For ~12–13 months, Amherst will have NO aerial truck of its own while the new one is built. The town is relying on mutual aid from Milford, Bedford, Merrimack, and Nashua. Assistant Chief Marshall from Milford spoke to the strong collaborative relationship. The board says coverage is adequate.

297/280

6

5/ Budget picture heading into 2027: FY27 operating budget up $600K (3.27%) to $18.9M. Fire capital reserve contributions proposed to rise 50% — from $267K to $400K/year. A $10M open space bond may appear on the 2027 warrant (possibly split into $5M and $10M articles). A PUC hearing on Pennichuck water rates is set for Jan. 15.

329/280

7

6/ Bottom line: The aerial truck purchase exceeded the voter-approved amount by $317K, covered through capital reserve withdrawals. The FY27 budget goes to public hearing soon. Show up. /end

190/280

Facebook

Longer-form draft.

📋 AMHERST BOARD OF SELECTMEN — December 8, 2025: Key Decisions

The board's most significant action was unanimously approving a purchase agreement for a new Pierce Manufacturing 100-foot mid-mount aerial tower at $2.217 million (contract cap $2.275M). Voters had approved a $1.9 million warrant article for this purchase, leaving a $317,000 gap. The board authorized up to $375,000 in withdrawals from the Fire Rescue Capital Reserve Fund to cover the difference. The committee spent three years evaluating options, and the board cited the truck's shorter length (42 vs. 48 feet), platform safety design, and a faster-than-expected delivery timeline of 12–13 months as key factors.

For that 12–13 month period, Amherst will have no aerial apparatus of its own, relying on mutual aid from Milford, Bedford, Merrimack, and Nashua. Assistant Chief Marshall from Milford spoke at the meeting about the strong collaborative relationship between departments. Board member Davenport specifically verified mutual aid adequacy before supporting the purchase.

The board also voted 5-0 to sell the town's 2001 E1 aerial truck through Brindley Mountain Fire Apparatus with a 5% brokerage fee (reduced from 10%). Proceeds will go to the general fund and be appropriated back to the fire capital reserve via a future warrant article.

During the warrant articles review, a board member flagged that the New Hampshire legislature has passed a law allowing keno and games of chance in towns by default unless a municipality opts out through a warrant article. No vote was taken, but a warrant article may be drafted.

On the broader budget picture: the FY27 municipal operating budget draft stands at $18,898,485 — a $600,000 (3.27%) increase over the prior year — and is headed to a public hearing. The annual contribution to the Fire Rescue Capital Reserve Fund is proposed to increase from $267,000 to $400,000 per year, citing doubled apparatus costs since 2020. A $10 million open space acquisition bond may appear on the 2027 warrant, possibly as two separate articles ($5M and $10M) to give voters options. A Public Utilities Commission hearing on Pennichuck water rates is scheduled for January 15th.

Other actions: The board awarded a cleaning services contract to MD Building Services ($80,262/year), accepted a 70-inch TV donation from Walmart for the fire department, accepted a Trex bench donation from the Daughters of the American Revolution, and appointed Fire Chief Don Waldron as Emergency Management Director.

The public hearing on the FY27 budget is your opportunity to weigh in. Watch for the agenda and make your voice heard. Official meeting minutes have not yet been posted — check the Town of Amherst website for updates.