Board of Selectmen Meeting, September 30, 2024
Mendums Pond to be drained for 2025. Town is almost on budget. 2025 assessing to cost $96k.
Mendums Pond Dam Repair Drawdown
In 2015-2016 Mendums Pond was partially drained to allow repairs to the pond’s 1840 dam. In 2021 further engineering studies were performed, determining that the dam needs additional repairs. Starting on November 11 the pond will begin to be lowered by 20 feet. The repairs are to be completed by 2026.
The Department of Environmental Services’ statement says:
Mendums Pond Dam in Nottingham will have a deep drawdown this fall for reconstruction of the downstream part of the dam. The project is split into 3 phases and when each phase is completed, the pond may be filled incrementally. Worst case scenario for 2025 will be the pond at complete drawdown and best-case scenario is to gain some pond through the summer and fall. Variables such as weather, availability and timing of subcontractors, etc. can impact the schedule and is challenging to forecast.
Should a drought occur during this period, the drawdown will require additional water to be released from Pawtuckaway Lake to make up for flows that Mendums would otherwise provide.
Budget Review
With one quarter left in the year, 24.2% of the town’s annual budget remains available for spending.
There’s one serious spending overage. The Town Attorney is already 69% over their total annual budget.
Earlier in the year, there were concerns that the Highway Department might run out of budget, but it now has 23% of its budget remaining, which should be sufficient unless December requires more plowing or salting than usual.
The Planning Board has already exceeded its consulting budget.
Unfilled vacancies, including two in the police department, have been a major contributing factor to the town's staying within the default budget. The Highway Department went four months with an unfilled position. The Fire Department has two unfilled full-time positions (the hours are being covered by per diem staff).
The town’s revenue at this point is about $150k less than was projected. About $12 million in new taxable property has been added to the town this year.
Other News
A 5k foot race will be held on Sunday, October 6.
A craft fair and yard sale will be held Saturday, October 12 10 am to 2 pm at Liars.
Fire Engine 2 failed inspection. It needs $6k in repairs. It is now out of service awaiting repair.
A section of Deerfield Road where the paving has delaminated will be milled and repaved within the next couple of weeks. This project was funded in a 2023 warrant article. The road will not need to be closed, but there will be periods of one-lane traffic.
The board received only one bid for assessing services, from the town’s current vendor, Avatar. The bid was for $96k. It was unanimously accepted. The town presently has $75k set aside for the legally mandated re-assessment that must occur in 2025.
The Zoning Board and the Planning Board are looking for volunteers to serve as alternates. Please contact the Town Administrator if you’d like to volunteer.
Watch the video
‘Fire Engine 2 failed inspection. It needs $6k in repairs. It is now out of service awaiting repair. ‘
Isn’t that wonderful?
I know, quick, let’s have the BOS and the town attorney hire her buddy, another attorney, oops I mean ‘investigator’ to ‘investigate’ why engine 2 failed inspection.
Crazy this could happen when 2 members of NFRD testified in court that they were mechanics!
In the name of safety the BOS should check the logs to see if engine 2 was being driven around in an unsafe state.
The public safety could’ve been at risk.
What’s the harm in another $25k+ for an ‘investigation’ plus an additional $80k+ on attorney fees especially since we now have ‘about $12,000,000’ in new taxable property!
Nottingham has been duped hard and taken to the cleaners because of its incompetent board of selectmen, Town Administrator, its former interim Town Administrator (currently causing problems in Deerfield I hear), and the Fremont Town Administrator.
Still staffing issues over at NFRD despite the massive turnover and those generous un-budgeted pay raises handed last year?
I guess approved warrant articles mean nothing to these selectmen.
Get your popcorn ready, a little birdy tells me there’s a strong possibility of an Act II to all this ridiculous self imposed drama and it’s set to pop off in early 2025…… hold onto your wallets Nottingham!
Thanks Doug. Sometimes I don't catch all the comments when the Seclectmen aren't reasonably close to their mics and that's when you and Dr Soreff really come in handy! You said: "The town’s revenue at this point is about $150k less than was projected. About $12 million in new taxable property has been added to the town this year. " Did anyone give explanation as to why that was or was it simply a statement?