WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
VOL. 20 NO. 204
BERLIN, N.H.
City manager presents fiscal 2013 budget to city council BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN – The city council got its first look at fiscal 2013 budget projections Monday night and the signs are clear this will be a difficult budget. “We have our work cut out for us,” said Mayor Paul Grenier. City Manager Patrick MacQueen presented a fiscal 2013 general fund budget of just over $33 million, an increase of $1.12 million or 3.5 percent. It would result in a tax increase of $4.43 or 14 percent.
MacQueen noted in his budget statement that he asked department heads to submit two budgets – a requested budget as well as a flat budget with no increase. Department budget requests totaled $35.4 million. MacQueen trimmed the requests by $2.4 million to arrive at his proposed budget. The only two budgets not reduced by MacQueen were the school and police department budgets. MacQueen cut one position in the fire department, three positions in the Public Works Department, one position in Recresee BUDGET page 16
Gorham, Berlin check on costs to combine dispatch BY MELISSA GRIMA THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
BERLIN — It had been a topic of conversation throughout the Gorham budget process this year; how much could the town save by contracting out its dispatching services? That question has now been officially asked, and an answer is being formulated. Berlin Police Chief Peter Morency told the police commission last week that the
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department had received a request for proposal from Gorham for dispatching services. “Our reasoning for sending this out to Berlin is to see if they can do all that Gorham needs for them to do at a lesser cost,” said Gorham Town Manager Robin Frost in a Tuesday afternoon email exchange. “I do believe there’s a potential for cost savings,” Morency said at last Thursday’s see DISPATCH page 16
Special passengers on board for dog sled climb up Mount Washington Florence Clark
JEFFERSON, NH - The granddaughter and great-granddaughter of the only woman to ascend Mount Washington by dog team will be a part of this week’s first-ever winter attempt to mush a team to the summit by the Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel. Maureen Clark and Bridie
Grant were the high bidders on two seats available on two sleds that will go up to tree line later this week, weather permitting. They will follow in the steps of Florence Clark, who, with her husband, Edward, founded Ed Clark’s Eskimo Sled Dog Ranch in Lincoln, now known as Clark’s see DOG page 9
City and OPEIU Local 6 agree on new contract BY BARBARA TETREAULT THE BERLIN DAILY SUN
A check in the amount of $1,350 was presented to the White Mt. Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club from Auto North Pre-owned Super Store in Gorham. The White Mt. Ridge Runners are raising money for an emergency response vehicle that will be used by fire and EMS rescue people in southern Coos County to extract victims from remote locations. Auto North Pre-owned Super Store donates $25 per vehicle monthly to a worthy cause. From (l-r) Auto North Co-owner Shawn Hanlon, Fish and Game Conservation Officer Wayne Saunder, Vicepresident of White Mt. Ridge Runners Mike Godbout, and Auto North Co-owner Don Noyes. (RITA DUBE PHOTO)
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BERLIN – The city council Monday night approved a new contract with OPEIU Local 6 after two years of contentious negotiations. The contract, effective immediately, provides the 30 employees with a 47 cent an hour raise for the remainder of fiscal 2012 and a 33 cent an hour increase for fiscal 2013. In exchange, the membership agreed to switch health insurance plans from a point-of-service plan to a less costly deductible
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HMO policy. The estimated savings from the switch in health insurance will more than offset the cost of the hourly increases. The cost of the contract for the remainder of fiscal 2012 is $13,321 and the fiscal 2013 cost totals $19,093. But the city projects saving $50,582 in fiscal 2013 from the health insurance switch. Reaction to the agreement was split with city officials calling it a good deal and union officials charging it was the best the local see COUNCIL page 9
BERLIN 603-752-FONE (603-752-3663) 410 Glen Avenue