By Darrell Halen
A request for a new central fire station – the second attempt by officials
in two years to win approval for a new building for firefighters – is on
Pelham’s 2008 town warrant.
On Tuesday, Feb. 5, voters will be able to discuss and debate that warrant article,
and about 20 others, when they gather for the deliberative session of town meeting.
The session will be held at Pelham Elementary School and starts at 7 p.m.
Selectmen are asking voters to approve a $4.273 million bond article for the
$4.8 million construction project, and would use $527,000 in impact fees. The
building would be constructed south of the village green and across from the
police station.
Last year, a warrant article to fund a new fire station at a maximum price of
$7.3 million did not win the 60 percent majority it needed to pass.
Fire officials have complained that their station, which opened in 1972, is too
small, forcing them to store some of their vehicles outside.
There is also inadequate sleeping quarters for firefighters, not enough storage
space, and inadequate space in the garage for people to work on vehicles.
The proposed operating budget for 2008 is $10,877,184. The default budget, the
previous budget with certain adjustments, is $10,583,535.
Two warrant articles deal with collective bargaining agreements.
An agreement with the police union calls for increases of salaries and benefits
of $140,049 this year and $119,483 in 2009.
The pact with public works and municipal workers provides for increases of salaries
and benefits of $44,572 in 2008, $69,446 in 2009 and $69,096 in 2010.
Other warrant articles include:
• $45,000 to fund property assessment updates this year.
• $285,000 for two soccer fields at Raymond Park, a project that has been
approved for an additional $45,000 grant.
• $35,328 for a new fire command vehicle, replacing a 12-year-old vehicle
that has maintenance problems.
• $47,063 for a new police officer.
• $39,500 for a truck with a plow for the Highway Department.
• $254,688 to repair, upgrade and maintain roads, to be offset by a state
grant.
• $127,097 lease/purchase agreement for a highway plow truck.
• Create a highway garage capital reserve fund and put $125,000 into it.
• Add $150,000 to the senior center building capital reserve Fund.
• Establish a vehicle replacement capital reserve fund and put $75,000 into
it.
• $7,000 to obtain permits and design a second exit from Muldoon Park to
Nashua Road.
• $148,164 to build a cemetery garage.
• Add the Merriam, Calitri and Costa conservation areas as town forests
and authorize the town’s forestry committee to manage the parcels.
• Use $45,000 from the forest maintenance fund for forest management, stewardship,
security, public education and other costs associated with maintenance and care
of town forest land.