The May 7 meeting of the Hudson Budget Committee saw its members question several budgetary expenses, especially with the town’s land-use line item, which seemed to be unusually high.
“The first thing on expenditures that jumped out at me was under planning, where, with the total of land-use, we’ve expended 178% of the budget at this point,” said Committee member Shawn Jasper. “I think that’s worthy of an explanation.”
Town Administrator Roy Sorenson stated the expenditure was tied to previously approved infrastructure spending backed by outside grant money.
“That’s for the Melendy Road Bridge project. 80% of that will be reimbursed, and that’s already passed through a warrant article,” he explained, adding that high expenditures were unusual, but not unheard of when expecting reimbursement money from a grant. “You’ll see a balance and transfer as you get closer to the end of the year on that line item.”
Jasper noticed a few other discrepancies, including an apparent reduction in Planning Board fee revenue, despite an evident increase in building permits and unusual numbers related to ambulance billings.
“Police details are certainly way off. I don’t know if there’s a lag in billing,” he said. Ambulance billings are another thing that stuck out to me. I can’t imagine our ambulance callings are down, but we’re showing $86,000 in revenue against a $400,000 budget.”
The Town Administrator admitted that the Finance Department was consistently “lagging behind” on many of its reports as it prepared itself for new leadership.
“As this committee knows, we’re in kind of a transition in the Finance Department,” said Sorenson, who noted that the town was still in the process of onboarding a new Finance Director. “We do have some billing that will be going out, that’s falling slightly behind.”
Despite his questions, Jasper stated that the town seemed to be doing “pretty well” overall. The Budget Committee agreed to delay further questions related to specific line items in the town budget until the next meeting, giving the Finance Department time to update some of its numbers. Sorenson promised to look through the budgetary report before June.
“Hopefully next month, we’ll see some catch-up,” said Jasper.
Committee member Bill Cole also questioned town spending related to the Nashua Regional Planning Commission (NRPC) and time billed by the organization.
“This is a rhetorical question, and I don’t expect an answer, but how can someone bill the town for 15 minutes and do something in Town Hall?” asked Cole, referring to several invoices from the NRPC for services rendered. “I go across these invoices and I see 15 minutes here, 30 minutes there, it’s just unusual.”
Cole has previously expressed his opposition to Hudson’s affiliation with the NRPC.
NRPC Executive Director Jay Minkarah has served as Hudson’s Interim Town Planner on an as-needed basis for more than a year, as town officials have struggled to find a suitable candidate to fill the vacant position.
The next meeting of the Hudson Budget Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4, at 7 p.m. in the Buxton Room at Town Hall.
