Be There. Be Heard.
In March of 1996, The Town of Wolfeboro adopted RSA 40:13 known as Senate Bill 2 (SB2). SB2 is a form of Town Meeting that has two sessions:
• A Deliberative Session – This first session will consist of explanation, discussion, and debate of each of the warrant articles (WA), and those voters who are present will be given the opportunity to debate, propose, and adopt amendments to each WA, except where the wording of specific articles are prescribed by state law. This is scheduled for Tuesday, February 6th at 7pm in the Wolfeboro Town Hall.
• A Voting Session – This second session is where WA presented or amended by the voters at the Deliberative Session will be placed on the official paper ballot and voted on in the voting booth. All registered voters can vote. This is scheduled for Tuesday, March 12 at the Wolfeboro Town Hall.
Note on Warrant Articles – Most are drafted by the Select Board, but zoning amendment articles are presented by the Planning Board. Citizens may also present petitioned articles. The estimated total cost of each WA will also be included because, if voted in, it may have an impact on your tax rates.
Held once a year, the Deliberative Session is the voters’ chance to show up at the Town Meeting and let their voices be heard. The Moderator presides over the meeting and announces the rules of procedure at the start of the session. A simple majority vote can overrule the Moderator. It’s pure democracy in action. Registered voters can consider the intent of a WA but cannot change the subject matter of a WA (i.e. such as changing the purchase of a new fire truck to buying a police car). Voters can, however, alter the substance of the WA in the following ways:
• Amend the amount of a WA question down to $1.00 to bar spending (this is often referred to as the “no means no” provision)
• Rephrase the WA amendment motion
• “Flip” the WA question to NOT do something (although making a WA negative can confuse voters so consider wording carefully)
• Voters can reject but cannot delete an entire WA
You may hear the Select Board, or the Town Attorney say that a WA amendment, if passed, will not be legally binding (enforceable in court) but the voters can still vote on it. If it appears a WA amendment might not be legally binding, don’t be dissuaded. Rephrasing the WA amendment motion still lets officials know that it may be enforceable at the voting session (election) in March.
When it comes to discussing and debating the Operating Budget, deleting a line item by amendment within the Budget still allows the budget to go forward to be approved by the voters, however the bottom line of the budget (the total) must be revised to reflect the amended change. This sends a message to the Select Board about the cost of a particular line item, but during the year, they can transfer funds (if the reason is justified) because only the budget bottom line (the total) is legally binding and cannot be exceeded.
If you have not been to a Deliberative session or if it has been a while, this is a good year to be informed, attend, ask questions, debate, and vote on potential amendments. We encourage you to participate in the RSA 40:13 form of government by attending both sessions.
See RSA 40:13 IV and VI for more details. https://law.justia.com/codes/new-hampshire/2022/title-iii/title-40/section-40-13/
Budget Details for the February 6, 2024 Deliberative Session:
1. Estimated proposed Full Year (FY) 2024 Operating Budget as approved by the Wolfeboro Board of Selectmen:
$34,419,415 – A 10% increase over the FY 2023 approved budget.
2. Estimated Total Cost of 2024 Warrant Articles (WA):
$37,991,097 – This is the cost if all WA are approved by the voters. These are “wants and needs” that are not included in the 2024 Operating Budget and, if voted in, may have an impact on tax rates.
3. If the proposed FY 2024 budget isn’t approved by the voters, it defaults back to the FY 2024 Default Operating Budget*:
$33,300,799.
*”The reason that SB2 towns (like Wolfeboro) need to calculate a “default budget” is because the town meeting decides whether to adopt the town officials’ recommended budget via a ballot vote, rather than by debate at town meeting.
If the majority of town voters say “no,” the town still needs money to operate. The law that creates default budgets, RSA 40:13, IX(b), is a compromise. It relies on the budget that passed last year as the basis for calculation of the default budget, but some adjustments need to be made due to contracts that may extend beyond one year (i.e. propane, internet and cable services, bulk purchases like road salt, or a one-time large acquisition such as a fire truck, etc.).” – NH Municipal Association
Be there. Be heard.
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