Accountability posts

📋 SUNAPEE SELECTBOARD + BUDGET COMMITTEE — November 17, 2025

Sunapee's Selectboard met jointly with the Advisory Budget Committee on November 17th for a lengthy session focused on the proposed 2026 municipal budget, which is up approximately 14.3% from last year — itself a year that saw an 8.7% tax increase without a formally passed budget. The preliminary tax rate was set at roughly $10.55 per thousand after the board voted unanimously to use $400,000 in fund balance reserves to buy the rate down from $10.62. One board member raised a direct question about whether this practice creates a 'fictitious rate' that hides the true ongoing cost of town operations — but the board proceeded with the buydown without resolving that concern.

During public comment, a resident named Chris from Owen Hill Road challenged the board on the proposed increase, arguing that continuing to outpace inflation while last year's budget was never formally approved is not a defensible fiscal path. He suggested the town explore bonding strategies instead of repeatedly raising taxes through warrant articles. That comment — specific, substantive, and delivered at a public meeting — does not appear anywhere in the official meeting minutes published for this session. Public comment is part of the public record, and its omission matters.

Beyond the tax rate, the meeting surfaced several structural problems. Ambulance service costs have doubled, with an additional 3% increase on top, and New London Hospital has not been paying facility rental fees owed to the town — a meeting with the hospital has been scheduled but no resolution was reached. The board also acknowledged that 33 miles of paved roads require over $1 million per year in maintenance, yet preliminarily agreed to cut the paving budget by $50,000. Roads on Stagecoach Road, Young Skill Road, and North Pine Ridge Road were among those cited as needing work. The board and town manager also acknowledged that recently approved recreation projects — the new playground and Veterans Field improvements — moved forward without adequate planning for ADA compliance, maintenance costs, or operational needs, potentially creating future unbudgeted obligations.

On staffing: the town currently has open positions in HR, Code Compliance, Highway, and the Deputy Town Clerk's office, with no clear resolution timeline. The board also disclosed that a required annual investment policy review was missed, resulting in an audit finding — a basic governance lapse the board has agreed to address at the December 1st meeting. The next major budget session is scheduled for December 11th. If you own property, use town roads, or depend on emergency services in Sunapee, these decisions are being made now — with or without you in the room. https://meetingwatch.org/nh/sunapee/selectboard/2025-11-17/ #MeetingWatch #SunapeeNH