[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6099266,"mediaKeyId","2819400-d08240e9c683cbb5481a766898114357","parentId",2819400,"title","Committee to adopt town email accounts; chair warns against group email threads under right-to-know rules","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",2008885,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2819400-d08240e9c683cbb5481a766898114357&start=2008&end=2008","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2819400-d08240e9c683cbb5481a766898114357/thumbnail_2008885.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6099266/Kingston/Rockingham-County/New-Hampshire/Committee-to-adopt-town-email-accounts-chair-warns-against-group-email-threads-under-right-to-know-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099266-c832fe766efed9360e81ce5ef03e7848/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171570&Signature=ekuk9zffx5trUXkKJzBG1S2~xi3QO2mSb7~MQhOOFjYvhgTaBNdhygOUYbtU1TlHkSmSrXfg2yZlVzKXfmpaRIYd8tgVUPkOd5d13KvlWBTWmQbkpYgDpWxGUHHiguzUBZg~4aYj6fMCzsHarOGQyn1c6hlt99u0dP2shTnwxAEd4dJf7qE0IQeu7ETeL2BSfFCpyK0-WeoHYxra9euiEMHHDKmoxIVFbQOJ-dpqiCPqyHJVRB4UGLVWG~Az0a0Wvcj4aFhOAvrdZpFqlK1JZU751lDaeV-xPo8VBA-wPYTEIzYiT9z8Oq5pQIvPyULF6r2Q7kW-Gi~vHq5C8b7aYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Kingston NH","date","2025-03-30T00:05:56.233Z","article","Town staff will set up official town email addresses for Kingston Budget Committee members to receive financial materials, the chair said at the March 26 meeting, and the committee was given guidance on how to use the addresses to comply with New Hampshire’s Right-to-Know (RSA 91-A) requirements.

The chair explained that the town will issue official email accounts and that she will BCC committee members when distributing financial information so recipients do not inadvertently create a serial meeting or an unadvertised deliberation. “All of our discussions with if we are have quorum are public discussions,” she said, explaining the rationale for centralized town email accounts and blind-copy distribution.

Members raised practical issues: one member said the town-format emails sometimes produce printing and PDF conversion problems on Apple’s Safari browser, making it difficult to print documents directly from the message. Town staff offered to troubleshoot individual members’ printing issues but reaffirmed that town email accounts are being adopted to centralize official communications and records.

The chair reminded members that responding-all to a committee-wide email could trigger Right-to-Know obligations and create records that must be retained and made available. She instructed members to route requests for committee information through the chair so that official distributions remain clear and auditable.

The guidance is procedural: it does not change public-access policy but clarifies how committee business should be conducted to remain compliant with state open-meetings and public-records law.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kingston, New Hampshire - Budget Committee - March 26, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Town IT will supply town email accounts for budget committee members to centralize distribution of financial materials; the chair cautioned members not to conduct committee business via group email because of Right-to-Know Act recordkeeping requirements.","taxTitle","Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire","taxId",54738,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6099271,"Budget committee to meet quarterly with option to call special meetings; April 30 set as next session",421,5086585,5508495,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2819400-d08240e9c683cbb5481a766898114357&start=5086&end=5508","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2819400-d08240e9c683cbb5481a766898114357/thumbnail_5086585.jpg","/articles/6099271/Kingston/Rockingham-County/New-Hampshire/Budget-committee-to-meet-quarterly-with-option-to-call-special-meetings-April-30-set-as-next-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099271-69d62944ed4e1f581430e3585184c2d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171570&Signature=EgLSlIwmYeAoZgQkeZ-iiOrgjWu8r45uYKqhdKEldJtDG17Jl-9gyQvsI4jul1aXR5~J7UbzAnlNqskXjZEREows0pgLWYAggqeQ9DQTCLv2cskr6z6eqqWSXIpXzxC64BkNmpvoTS2-pHYpSukmQQHZZdLkdJkC2l1gzqiXKO6RPkGtrLhDGgPnJkPl7vmaJTCVSGMaLeov4THUiW5sZzvd35Tiaw5OUxp9xjcAjZDIypPHauaXs~bOTBD~c1-JS448Hn59xg9aO2EL73p7K3H0Ivd78Mjv~Yo6~Ry7S4eyQZYCnExTCdcFuZuhr6WV6uaBzVV3gdY2o0HXAwM-Ow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kingston Budget Committee voted to adopt a quarterly meeting schedule, with the chair noting the body will continue to receive monthly expenditure reports and can call additional meetings if concerns arise.

A motion to hold quarterly meetings carried by voice vote; members agreed that if a monthly report reveals a budget concern—such as substantial overrun in a department line—a meeting can be scheduled on 24-hour notice to examine the issue. The committee will still receive monthly expenditure reports from town staff and the select board and may convene more frequently if monitoring indicates it is necessary.

Members discussed possible meeting days; the committee decided to hold its next meeting April 30 (the fourth Wednesday of April) so it follows the select board’s monthly review and department-head meeting. The chair explained that timing the committee meeting after those events would allow staff to incorporate any changes and provide updated reports.

The committee also agreed to trial the quarterly cadence and revisit the schedule if the leadership or membership determine it is not meeting oversight needs. The chair noted the committee historically met more often during active budget season and that January hearings will remain intensive.

No ordinance or budget action resulted from the schedule motion; the decision affects committee workflow and public meeting timing only.","Members voted to try quarterly meetings (with authority to call additional meetings if issues arise); the committee selected April 30 as the next meeting date so the select board’s monthly review and department head meetings occur beforehand.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6099276,"Kingston select board to commission wage study; budget committee urges earlier completion and clearer timelines",785,2259145,3044535,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2819400-d08240e9c683cbb5481a766898114357&start=2259&end=3044","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2819400-d08240e9c683cbb5481a766898114357/thumbnail_2259145.jpg","/articles/6099276/Kingston/Rockingham-County/New-Hampshire/Kingston-select-board-to-commission-wage-study-budget-committee-urges-earlier-completion-and-clearer-timelines","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099276-4d0b2093a1b020b8831d2a6a5cc36616/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171570&Signature=kl-F3CJBYuwyz7lj1XyWrSC3B87o2cJnDYD5qq8e0fOfWyHPLBpXbUIt6XDmt2iV26OD0CuZ-oZgyAyitea0No~k6P9fkwY3jp-bcx-09woWvSv8mF3wGbRvzzfEz80QGOPQR0Exgj5rM3zyyD92s4WSLKTOJ4f8TiiP-7-3-F6s3fSHqcMI7F4QR5osW1yq9JAajZ12I2xIEbQI5DjA8Mkt--ENokUyKllnFajkfPIZn~PNr6L~Cplnhdt44j8yPke9zEPX8UfmXkL1beRVcT4NUEcSaj6HUkes0wByK6YN398wCrvRgWJP9zUtNnW9MPtbLCqqvkMcZTBP8lfGCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Kingston Budget Committee spent a substantial portion of the March 26 meeting discussing employee compensation, reviewing local salary comparisons and the town’s plan to commission a professional wage-matrix (salary-study) to standardize pay ranges and job descriptions.

Budget committee member Anne Marie Roth presented sample salaries from neighboring Portsmouth and other regional municipalities, noting that some Kingston pay rates appear comparable to larger towns despite Kingston’s smaller population. Roth said she wanted the committee to be aware of those comparisons before the next budget cycle.

Committee members reiterated a longer-standing request for a formal salary study. The select board has directed staff to put out an RFQ/RFP for a consulting firm to develop a wage matrix and map Kingston job descriptions to comparable positions, the committee was told. Select board staff indicated proposals are being solicited and that, if procured on schedule, the study could be complete by late summer; any compensation adjustments would be retroactive if the select board adopts changes later.

The committee discussed why the professional study is necessary: volunteers attempting earlier comparisons lacked consistent job descriptions and organization charts across towns, which made job-to-job salary comparisons unreliable. As one member summarized, job-title comparisons can be misleading unless they are paired with detailed job descriptions and org charts.

Members asked for a firm timeline so the wage-matrix results could inform the coming budget season and for completed job descriptions to be part of the consultant’s scope. The select board representative said staff (Glenn) is preparing RFQs and expects proposals quickly; the aim cited at the meeting was to have consultant work done by the end of the summer so budget decisions in fall and winter would rest on the completed analysis.

Committee members noted the matrix would help resolve recurring questions about pay pools, part-time versus full-time roles, and the town’s ability to competitively recruit and retain staff. The committee requested the consultant’s final report and job-description mappings be available well ahead of budget deliberations to allow the committee to incorporate any recommended changes into its requests to the select board.

No funding decision was made at the meeting beyond confirming that money for a consultant is in the select board’s proposed budget and that retroactive pay adjustments would be considered after the study’s completion.","Committee members reviewed comparative salary figures, supported a professional wage-matrix study, and were told the select board plans an RFQ/RFP with a target to complete the study by late summer and use results for budget season adjustments.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6099281,"Budget committee assigns liaisons for department budgets, flags solid waste and building inspection for separate review",252,422320,674610,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2819400-d08240e9c683cbb5481a766898114357&start=422&end=674","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2819400-d08240e9c683cbb5481a766898114357/thumbnail_422320.jpg","/articles/6099281/Kingston/Rockingham-County/New-Hampshire/Budget-committee-assigns-liaisons-for-department-budgets-flags-solid-waste-and-building-inspection-for-separate-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099281-b932d8ca16d31708f099ed8092220bbf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171570&Signature=KTubzGctOfIuVbcCNtWvg5jhC~flEmEkD1evYcDBHGrYr-5Z8XBNc-eUivI5sAR6CfC1XsBCBAog~gjU8p9bQA-BkdhN~TkKWRo8rcVNWYL2JuLFcHGtcc42cgiwjhfF~GMfZQMJX2n8VwChJ0MpdoA4l0zI3-EtxryN9CQ1IdRKdOROdfdOdtqfWCrHxDvpwjNJvbT6dWQcejmyeFPf0IWc3j1KsSp0oVrF0ZHcuB3aiPDL2iSwKQyL6EcbeAeswWcK~ynIVlcxjEvlg5vvO6raHaPIxHhXmuNsy71fBS7sFyb8CKT~U~zSck0eIzaMppOss8ONALTBIdjJjITSAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the March 26 organizational meeting the Kingston Budget Committee assigned members to serve as liaisons for department and committee budgets, prioritizing the town’s largest spending areas and recommending that building inspection/code enforcement and solid waste/recycling be broken out of the executive budget in future years.

Chair Stacy Dion proposed four priority liaisons for the coming year: executive/finance, fire and emergency management, police and animal control, and highway and municipal buildings. Committee members volunteered for those assignments during the meeting: Dion said she would take executive, Trish Sitt would cover fire, Chuck Hart agreed to police and animal control and Anne Marie Roth accepted highway and municipal buildings.

Dion explained the liaison role as one of monitoring and inquiry rather than control: liaisons review expenditures, ask for supporting data when something appears unusual, and meet with department heads during budget season to understand line-item variances. “Part of the budget committee’s responsibility is to monitor expenditures, monitor not control,” the chair said, describing how liaisons might query a highway department line that showed higher seasonal costs after a severe winter.

Members discussed separating certain line items currently bundled in the executive budget. The solid waste and recycling committee maintains a $6,000 committee fund currently listed under the executive budget; members argued that as the committee’s scope and budget grow (for example, discussion about a recycling center) it should be broken out as its own budget line so the committee’s chair and work are more visible. Similarly, members recommended that building inspection and code enforcement be treated as a distinct budget area given recent changes in staffing and activity.

Committee members also discussed practical limits: liaisons are not required to attend routine committee meetings but may contact committee chairs or department heads when budget questions arise. The chair said she will circulate bylaws, a liaison list and department contacts to new members, and will confirm committee chairs before distributing liaison assignments.

The liaison assignments are intended to improve oversight during the budget season and to give committee members a working familiarity with the departments they review in case questions arise at public hearings.","Committee members volunteered or were assigned liaisons for major department budgets (executive/finance, fire, police, highway) and smaller committees; members discussed separating building inspection/code enforcement and solid waste/recycling from the executive budget line.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_46":116,"_48":117,"_50":118,"_52":119,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":120,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":121,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6099286,"Kingston budget committee elects officers, appoints new member with single abstention",355,90810,446690,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2819400-d08240e9c683cbb5481a766898114357&start=90&end=446","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2819400-d08240e9c683cbb5481a766898114357/thumbnail_90810.jpg","/articles/6099286/Kingston/Rockingham-County/New-Hampshire/Kingston-budget-committee-elects-officers-appoints-new-member-with-single-abstention","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099286-49a632ec4a581ef16d88e996b3906733/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171570&Signature=TdLIuxSRmQJH8R3wHz7Fgz63bjshpEuzRTw7B18frgufME6uyuW~l~xheBbNZLsE0W6AcL2KoycwbY-sOYvl5Or0mIzhYPM6ClpG5k3QcrFbz5xHFPGIX4AWvP2sdLGjgnVzLnBOVSJFKXqZzXEF1uYC5n4AJUZ8a7aBAWMb37c1Qmf5ZyD4~e~KGXL-ZPZHDacFL6EZ167Y1edPG6FP3B7eBIrjKl-8QOzJDtL1~w5wUE5~I9DVwXNdKdM7cMyoG2afOnI2Bc8hlCEm68nIgbpaNIOoEhNzTziSL6MxZqq3ZM~EmhBKQe6i6~3N6HM9tHS2El~VOeVeKnq8wtFcSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kingston Budget Committee elected Stacy Dion as chair, selected a vice chair and named Trish Sitt secretary, and voted to appoint Joseph Gagnon to fill a committee vacancy during its organizational meeting Wednesday, March 26.

The votes were routine and largely unanimous. Members approved Dion as chair by voice vote with one member registering an abstention. The committee likewise approved a vice chair by voice vote and approved Sitt as secretary; the secretary vote included a single abstention noted by the chair. The committee also voted to appoint Joseph Gagnon to the committee; that appointment carried with one abstention.

The committee convened for the organizational agenda after brief introductions from members. Dion opened the session and led nominations: “Motion for chair, Stacy,” was moved and seconded before the voice vote. During the appointment discussion the chair read a letter of intent from Joseph Gagnon recounting his prior attendance at February’s meeting and interest in serving.

The appointee will serve until the next election, at which point the town ballot will determine whether he continues in the seat, the chair explained. The committee confirmed that write-in candidates who were elected serve the remainder of their statutory terms; appointees fill the seat only until the next election.

Members closed the organizational business and moved to assign liaisons to department budgets and other committee business.

The actions were procedural and established the committee’s leadership and membership for the coming year; no policy changes were made in these votes.","At its March 26 organizational meeting the Kingston Budget Committee elected Stacy Dion chair, filled vice chair and secretary seats, and appointed Joseph Gagnon to a committee vacancy; votes carried with one abstention on multiple items.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee to adopt town email accounts; chair warns against group email threads under right-to-know rules

Budget committee to meet quarterly with option to call special meetings; April 30 set as next session

Kingston select board to commission wage study; budget committee urges earlier completion and clearer timelines

Budget committee assigns liaisons for department budgets, flags solid waste and building inspection for separate review

Kingston budget committee elects officers, appoints new member with single abstention