Nutfield Publishing - Nutfield News

Budget Picture Could Be Bleak for Town of Derry
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One of the contributing factors to the strong cash balance is that current year tax collections are better than the prior year. Unpaid taxes for the current year of $3.9 million are $80,000 below where they were last year.

"The town's tax collections continue to do very well in this economy," said Controller Janice Mobsby.

Mobsby attributed the high collection level to the continued belief that mortgage companies and banks are forcing more borrowers to escrow their taxes as they refinance, as well as their monitoring the payment of property taxes to try and avoid a lien being placed on the property.

Mobsby also said foreclosure notices have shown a significant decrease of 16 percent during the first half of FY10.

However, the town is still experiencing a loss of revenue in motor vehicle registrations. At the end of the six-month period, that area is $117,000 behind budget, a result of more people registering older vehicles. Motor vehicle registrations are the town's second largest revenue source, and it looks like it will not meet budget.

Childs said the most significant thing to watch is interest income.

"As a result of dismal interest rates, only 25 percent of the adjusted budget for interest expense (down from $440,000 originally to $343,000) was received during the six-month period," wrote Childs in his report.

This means the town knew it was going to do poorly, so it lowered its budget and is still doing worse. Childs anticipates interest income will be at least $226,000 below the adjusted budget, unless there is some miraculous turn in the economy, which is not expected.

Revenues are also running behind for building permits, which account for $125,000 of the $134,700 budget. However, Childs said the proposed Tsienneto Road medical building is expected to break ground in April or May, which would generate a roughly $25,000 permit fee. Also, if the town issues a building permit for the Pinkerton Freshmen Academy, which would be around $120,000 to $140,000, before June 30, the building permit budget could be met. Public Works Director Mike Fowler is closely monitoring this area in case a shortfall exists.

The town has received $14,000 in civil forfeiture penalties as a result of aggressively pursuing un-renewed or never before licensed dogs.

Councilor Brad Benson said, according to his calculations, there would be a $740,000 shortfall if things don't change. He asked whether the town could cover it.

Childs said everything is being closely monitored, and noted he is reacting on a daily basis and would provide the council with updated numbers in mid-April, prior to the third quarter review.

As far as expenditures go, the town spent $146,000 for the quarter on building improvements, which include replacing the windows at the Derry Public Library, replacement of the Warner Hill Fire Station heating system and upgrading the Police Station HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system.

However, according to Mobsby, investments in building improvements, machinery and equipment vehicles are not keeping pace with depreciation.

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Town Council Wants More Information on Senior Center
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Retired Derry school superintendent John Moody, president of the NSCC, addressed the town council March 2 and said donations for the senior center are coming in daily. Moody's goal is to raise $1.2 million for construction and to provide an operating reserve for two years, so organizers have a buffer as they try to structure the senior center so it can be self sufficient.

The NSCC has received a $396,000 federal grant, secured by U.S. Senator Judd Gregg, R-NH, for operation of a center, but that does not pay for construction.

According to a report filed by Town Administrator Gary Stenhouse, $55,000 has been previously set aside by the town council for a senior center. Stenhouse recommended the other $341,000 not be bonded but instead be funded by using $141,000 from the Land and Building Capital Reserve Fund and $200,000 of the general fund balance.

Before taking action, the council, along with several town residents at the public hearing, had some questions about the center.

Resident Maureen Rose said she did not support putting tax money into property the town doesn't own. Resident John Burtis agreed, questioning whether this was the right place to put such a facility. He asked what "off hours" meant in terms of the seniors having access to the Boys and Girls Club, and also noted he has seen the town plowing the area. He questioned whether this would become a regular occurrence, with the town responsible to provide maintenance, adding to taxpayer costs.

Town council candidate Joseph DiChiaro said he appreciated the group's efforts but wanted to know who owned the land and how insurance would be handled. He asked about the agreement between the NSCC and the Boys and Girls Club, and questioned whether there was a contingency plan if something happened to the Boys and Girls Club.

In answer to some of the questions, Moody said the NSCC is a non-profit organization and is not affiliated with the town, so expenses would not fall back on the town. He added that many questions remain to be answered, but he didn't want to pay for legal counsel without knowing that serious support exists for the project moving forward.

Moody also noted the NSCC and the Boys and Girls Club have a memorandum of understanding that states the NSCC would own the 5,000-square-foot facility.

In addition, Moody said the town would not have to provide the $396,000 until the NSCC has reported back that it has raised an equivalent amount.

Councilor Kevin Coyle said conceptually he likes what the NSCC is doing. He said he is concerned about building a facility on someone else's land, however, and if the senior center failed, it would have used $396,000 of taxpayer money and there would be questions of what would happen to the building. Coyle said before giving the money, he would like to see the legal documents and memorandum of understanding.

Moody said if operations were to fail, the Boys and Girls Club would have the first right to buy the building. If it did not, then the NSCC could sell it to another non-profit, at which time the town would get its money back.

Coyle said years ago, when the Boys and Girls Club built an addition, there was a lot of concern among the neighbors and a promise was made that no more additions would be made. The senior center addition would be breaking that promise, he said. Moody said he had not yet spoken with neighbors.

The council will address the issue again at an April meeting so the NSCC has time to gather more information.

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Pinkerton Forestry Students Adept at Maple Syrup Making
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On Monday, March 8, preschoolers from the Nutfield Cooperative School arrived to learn the secrets of maple syrup. Susan Dionne said she brings the kids every year because on their way to school, they see the collection buckets hanging from the trees and are immediately interested. She said the school tries to do many outdoor activities with the students so the tour of the sugar house, which is located just below the brick clock tower, ties right in with the theme and the town. Dionne's son was a student in the forestry program.

More students these days are taking environmental studies classes, according to Lyon, who said about 60 are in the two programs. Many of them go on to study related topics in college. That is what Hampstead senior Josh Howard plans on doing. While he said he loves waffles, he also thought making syrup was a lot of fun. And while it is becoming harder and harder to make a profit from it, the students at Pinkerton can't make the maple syrup quickly enough for all the people who want to buy it.

One of the reasons is the exact weather condition needed to make maple syrup, according to Lyon. The Pinkerton students tapped the trees Feb. 28, when they returned from winter vacation. The sap runs when the tree thaws, which happens only when it is cold at night and warm during the day. Lyon said because of the unseasonably warm nights, the trees have been heating themselves during the day but have not had a chance to cool. As a result, the flow has not been very strong. Lyon said all those involved with syrup in southern New Hampshire are hoping for colder nights.

Sugar is stored in the tree's roots and moves up the trunk to help the buds blossom into leaves. Because sugar is needed to help the new leaves, the students at Pinkerton only put so many taps into the trees so they don't affect this natural process. They have about 150 taps with buckets and 50 taps with tubing, according to Lyon.

"We're able to undertap our trees because people on English Range Road and North Shore Road allow us to tap their trees, with the only payment being some occasional syrup," he added.

Lyon said Pinkerton used to have more trees but a combination of age and salt, which is used on the ground during snowstorms, has brought the number down. Lyon said sugar maples are perhaps the most susceptible tree to salt.

Once the buds on the trees expand, the sap is no longer good and begins to look cloudy. Lyon said old-time syrup collectors used to say that when you could hear the spring peepers at night, the sugaring season was over.

Lyon said typically it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup and every tap, on average, yields one quart of syrup. He said state law mandates that syrup must be 67 percent sugar, and inspectors come on occasion to check the quality.

Lyon said sales of the syrup help to purchase new planks for use on the walking trails in the 66-acre Forsaith Forest Area in Chester, which is part of Pinkerton's CTE program.

"It is really a fun process to be a part of and makes me appreciate pancakes even more," concluded Derry senior Paige Gerhardt.

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	Budget Picture Could Be Bleak for Town of Derry continued from main page One of the contributing factors to the strong cash balance is that current year tax collections are better than the prior year. Unpaid taxes for the current year of $3.9 million are $80,000 below where they were last year. "The town's tax collections continue to do very well in this economy," said Controller Janice Mobsby. Mobsby attributed the high collection level to the continued belief that mortgage companies and banks are forcing more borrowers to escrow their taxes as they refinance, as well as their monitoring the payment of property taxes to try and avoid a lien being placed on the property. Mobsby also said foreclosure notices have shown a significant decrease of 16 percent during the first half of FY10. However, the town is still experiencing a loss of revenue in motor vehicle registrations. At the end of the six-month period, that area is $117,000 behind budget, a result of more people registering older vehicles. Motor vehicle registrations are the town's second largest revenue source, and it looks like it will not meet budget. Childs said the most significant thing to watch is interest income. "As a result of dismal interest rates, only 25 percent of the adjusted budget for interest expense (down from $440,000 originally to $343,000) was received during the six-month period," wrote Childs in his report. This means the town knew it was going to do poorly, so it lowered its budget and is still doing worse. Childs anticipates interest income will be at least $226,000 below the adjusted budget, unless there is some miraculous turn in the economy, which is not expected. Revenues are also running behind for building permits, which account for $125,000 of the $134,700 budget. However, Childs said the proposed Tsienneto Road medical building is expected to break ground in April or May, which would generate a roughly $25,000 permit fee. Also, if the town issues a building permit for the Pinkerton Freshmen Academy, which would be around $120,000 to $140,000, before June 30, the building permit budget could be met. Public Works Director Mike Fowler is closely monitoring this area in case a shortfall exists. The town has received $14,000 in civil forfeiture penalties as a result of aggressively pursuing un-renewed or never before licensed dogs. Councilor Brad Benson said, according to his calculations, there would be a $740,000 shortfall if things don't change. He asked whether the town could cover it. Childs said everything is being closely monitored, and noted he is reacting on a daily basis and would provide the council with updated numbers in mid-April, prior to the third quarter review. As far as expenditures go, the town spent $146,000 for the quarter on building improvements, which include replacing the windows at the Derry Public Library, replacement of the Warner Hill Fire Station heating system and upgrading the Police Station HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system. However, according to Mobsby, investments in building improvements, machinery and equipment vehicles are not keeping pace with depreciation. back to main news page _____________________ Town Council Wants More Information on Senior Center continued from main page Retired Derry school superintendent John Moody, president of the NSCC, addressed the town council March 2 and said donations for the senior center are coming in daily. Moody's goal is to raise $1.2 million for construction and to provide an operating reserve for two years, so organizers have a buffer as they try to structure the senior center so it can be self sufficient. The NSCC has received a $396,000 federal grant, secured by U.S. Senator Judd Gregg, R-NH, for operation of a center, but that does not pay for construction. According to a report filed by Town Administrator Gary Stenhouse, $55,000 has been previously set aside by the town council for a senior center. Stenhouse recommended the other $341,000 not be bonded but instead be funded by using $141,000 from the Land and Building Capital Reserve Fund and $200,000 of the general fund balance. Before taking action, the council, along with several town residents at the public hearing, had some questions about the center. Resident Maureen Rose said she did not support putting tax money into property the town doesn't own. Resident John Burtis agreed, questioning whether this was the right place to put such a facility. He asked what "off hours" meant in terms of the seniors having access to the Boys and Girls Club, and also noted he has seen the town plowing the area. He questioned whether this would become a regular occurrence, with the town responsible to provide maintenance, adding to taxpayer costs. Town council candidate Joseph DiChiaro said he appreciated the group's efforts but wanted to know who owned the land and how insurance would be handled. He asked about the agreement between the NSCC and the Boys and Girls Club, and questioned whether there was a contingency plan if something happened to the Boys and Girls Club. In answer to some of the questions, Moody said the NSCC is a non-profit organization and is not affiliated with the town, so expenses would not fall back on the town. He added that many questions remain to be answered, but he didn't want to pay for legal counsel without knowing that serious support exists for the project moving forward. Moody also noted the NSCC and the Boys and Girls Club have a memorandum of understanding that states the NSCC would own the 5,000-square-foot facility. In addition, Moody said the town would not have to provide the $396,000 until the NSCC has reported back that it has raised an equivalent amount. Councilor Kevin Coyle said conceptually he likes what the NSCC is doing. He said he is concerned about building a facility on someone else's land, however, and if the senior center failed, it would have used $396,000 of taxpayer money and there would be questions of what would happen to the building. Coyle said before giving the money, he would like to see the legal documents and memorandum of understanding. Moody said if operations were to fail, the Boys and Girls Club would have the first right to buy the building. If it did not, then the NSCC could sell it to another non-profit, at which time the town would get its money back. Coyle said years ago, when the Boys and Girls Club built an addition, there was a lot of concern among the neighbors and a promise was made that no more additions would be made. The senior center addition would be breaking that promise, he said. Moody said he had not yet spoken with neighbors. The council will address the issue again at an April meeting so the NSCC has time to gather more information. back to main news page _____________________ Pinkerton Forestry Students Adept at Maple Syrup Making continued from main page On Monday, March 8, preschoolers from the Nutfield Cooperative School arrived to learn the secrets of maple syrup. Susan Dionne said she brings the kids every year because on their way to school, they see the collection buckets hanging from the trees and are immediately interested. She said the school tries to do many outdoor activities with the students so the tour of the sugar house, which is located just below the brick clock tower, ties right in with the theme and the town. Dionne's son was a student in the forestry program. More students these days are taking environmental studies classes, according to Lyon, who said about 60 are in the two programs. Many of them go on to study related topics in college. That is what Hampstead senior Josh Howard plans on doing. While he said he loves waffles, he also thought making syrup was a lot of fun. And while it is becoming harder and harder to make a profit from it, the students at Pinkerton can't make the maple syrup quickly enough for all the people who want to buy it. One of the reasons is the exact weather condition needed to make maple syrup, according to Lyon. The Pinkerton students tapped the trees Feb. 28, when they returned from winter vacation. The sap runs when the tree thaws, which happens only when it is cold at night and warm during the day. Lyon said because of the unseasonably warm nights, the trees have been heating themselves during the day but have not had a chance to cool. As a result, the flow has not been very strong. Lyon said all those involved with syrup in southern New Hampshire are hoping for colder nights. Sugar is stored in the tree's roots and moves up the trunk to help the buds blossom into leaves. Because sugar is needed to help the new leaves, the students at Pinkerton only put so many taps into the trees so they don't affect this natural process. They have about 150 taps with buckets and 50 taps with tubing, according to Lyon. "We're able to undertap our trees because people on English Range Road and North Shore Road allow us to tap their trees, with the only payment being some occasional syrup," he added. Lyon said Pinkerton used to have more trees but a combination of age and salt, which is used on the ground during snowstorms, has brought the number down. Lyon said sugar maples are perhaps the most susceptible tree to salt. Once the buds on the trees expand, the sap is no longer good and begins to look cloudy. Lyon said old-time syrup collectors used to say that when you could hear the spring peepers at night, the sugaring season was over. Lyon said typically it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup and every tap, on average, yields one quart of syrup. He said state law mandates that syrup must be 67 percent sugar, and inspectors come on occasion to check the quality. Lyon said sales of the syrup help to purchase new planks for use on the walking trails in the 66-acre Forsaith Forest Area in Chester, which is part of Pinkerton's CTE program. "It is really a fun process to be a part of and makes me appreciate pancakes even more," concluded Derry senior Paige Gerhardt. back to main news page _____________________
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