Proposed Meredith budget includes 90% down payment on new fire engine

MEREDITH — Town Manager Judie Milner updated the Meredith Selectboard on Nov. 24 on several items in the proposed budget, including a down payment for a new fire engine, but omitting a proposed raise for the fire chief and other personnel.

In the manager’s proposed budget, she followed the recommendations of the Capital Improvements Program Committee and Chief Ken Jones, and included a 90% down payment on a new Engine 1 of $1.2 million.

Milner said she will gather information about surrounding communities for an official quote for an Engine 1, which she will then relay to the board.

“So, you can have an idea of the manufacturers cost for the same type of engine,” Milner said.

Chair Mike Pelczar asked about putting 90% down, and Milner told him this is part of a federal program the chief is involved with to save the town a significant amount of money.

“The total cost of the engine is like $150,000 less than what we pay if we didn’t do the 90% down,” Milner explained. “It’s a federal program that he goes through. He saved money on Engine 3 that is in process and almost done right now.”

Also included in her budget proposal is new protective equipment, valued at about $260,000. The current gear needs to be replaced because there were forever chemicals found in the material, according to Milner.

Milner said a replacement for the town’s fireboat was not included in the proposal.

She also discussed the fire department wages that didn’t get into the proposed budget, and what the impact was. Jones is at the top of his salary range in grade 20, with a salary of $123,385. Moving from a grade 20 to a 22 is a $17,303.90 increase, bringing it up to $136,219.

Another proposed change for the fire department is moving the part-time office clerk to full-time, which would cost $18,725, plus about $30,000 in benefits.

She said Jones proposed a $7 per hour increase for call firefighters, which would amount to $59,287. Currently, there is $14,010 left in the budget, but Milner said there is still the rest of November and into December left in the year.

None of the salary increases were included in the town manager’s proposed budget, as Milner said she wants to have a wage study done first.

“I do have a wage study for next year that’s in the budget, that is comprehensive, so I said 'no' to all these things in the budget until the wage study is done,” Milner said.

It has been three years since the last salary study, which generally occurs every three to five years.

Milner also discussed the executive portion of the budget, going over numbers for the community development and town manager reorganization she is proposing. Moving the human resources generalist role to a deputy town manager for human resources special projects will increase the wage from $85,737 to $107,099.

The administrative assistant wage is at $65,375, but the net budget lift for the taxpayer is $25,369.

“The difference is that we are eliminating the part-time positions for the website development, because that will be taken over by the assistant, the recording clerk, and the part-time community development clerk,” Milner said.

Milner finished her presentation with the 2026 estimated revenues and variance compared to 2025. She said fee changes add up to about $300,000, but there is also a change in interest earnings adjusted by about $190,000. The estimated revenues for 2026 sit at $5.1 million for the general fund, which is a $136,883 higher than 2025.

“It all looks pretty good,” said selectboard member Steve Aiken.

Milner has been working with department heads, and the selectboard, over the last month to create a proposed budget. She has a goal to have it ready by the end of the year, and a public hearing will take place in February before a vote at Town Meeting in March.