Annual report of the Town of Hampton, New Hampshire

ARTICLE 45
Whereas the board of three Cemetery Trustees has conducted all of its
public business from October 1995 to December 1997 in secret,
including the
preparation and adoption of three annual budget requests (1996, 1997, 1998),
such being in gross violation of the State Right-To-Know Law and the Trustees'
oaths of office; and,
Whereas, the board allowed a Trustee to be the full-time salaried
Superintendent with benefits from 1994 to April 1997 contrary to State
Cemetery Laws, and is now proposing a 45% pay increase, with attendant large
increases in taxpayer costs for two retirement plans and other payroll taxes, in
Superintendent went into the General Fund as required by law, will no
longer be diverted to the Superintendent as has now been revealed; and,
Whereas, the Town Manager as the professional supervisor of the
Town Departments is the intended supervisor under the Town Manager Law as
adopted and re-adopted by the voters over the years, and under such authority
has jurisdiction over the various full-time and seasonal crews of personnel that
are regularly hired, and therefore,
We, the undersigned 25 or more legal voters of the Town, petition the
following question to the ballot:
"Shall we discontinue the Board of Cemetery Trustees by delegating
their duties and responsibilities to the town manager? (By Petition)
Moved by Arthur Moody
Seconded by Nathan Page
Gerald Dignam offered to amend the article as follows: 1. After the
word "Whereas" (first word in the first sentence) insert the following: ....the
Cemetery Trustees are elected officials of our Town, they are reminded that the
public must be notified in advance of all meetings, in accordance with all
applicable laws. 2. Strike the balance of the articles' language from "the
Board". ..(in the first line) through and including the words "Town Manager" in
the last line. The Article, as amended would read. "Whereas, the Cemetery
Trustees are elected officials, they are reminded that the public must be notified
in advance of all meetings, in accordance with all applicable laws." Seconded
by Jason Page.
The Moderator explained that the amendment as constructed was not
legal and that the last sentence was a requirement and could not be deleted.
Mr. Dignam agreed to modify his amendment to include the final line.
Mr. Page did not agree and withdrew his second. Mr. Dignam withdrew his
motion.
part so that revenue from the cemetery operation that under the previous parttime
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