11/03/2025 SB Minutes

Bethlehem Board of Selectmen

Meeting Minutes

November 3rd, 2025

In person – Chairwoman Strand, Selectwoman Hibberd, Selectman MacDonald, Selectwoman Knowles and Selectman Bruno.

Nonpublic for Reasons of Personnel (5:30-6:00) Chairwoman Strand opened the meeting at 5:30 and motioned to go into nonpublic according to RSA 91A for reasons of personnel.  Selectwoman Hibberd seconded and roll call followed.

Updates and other business- Chairwoman Strand updated the board that the food pantry would be taken over by Bethlehem Community Dinners and managed by Jane Strella, Executive Director Bethlehem Community Dinners. Chairwoman Strand continued that a concerned resident contacted the board seeking clarification from NHDES about capacity at NCES.

Selectman Bruno motioned sending NHDES a letter inquiring about the capacity at the NCES landfill. Selectwoman Hibberd seconded and all were in favor. 

Budget Overview:

Library- Leonard Grubbs, Library Trustee, gave the 2026 Library budget overview noting the increase was a result of personnel and insurance cost.

Conservation Commission- Cheryl Jensen, Conservation Commission, gave an overview of what the Conservation Commission accomplished in 2025 and explained although their expenses have increased, they do not increase to towns portion.  Martie Cook asked if the Conservation Commission could charge applicants for professional services similarly to the Planning Board and Cheryl will investigate if that is a possibility.

Legal- The board reviewed the legal budget agreeing it should remain flat to 2025.

TAN/Debt Services- The board discussed the $20,000 allocated for the possibility of a tax anticipation note and decided to reduce the budget from $20,000 to $15,000 because it has not been used for several years.

Streetlights- The board discussed streetlights noting the slight increase was mostly a result of new bulbs.

CIP Report- Rich Southwell, CIP Committee, gave the board an overview of the CIP report which included the committee’s funding recommendations.  The committee identified the future transfer station as an immediate funding need and is recommending a bond or borrowing the capital to complete the project. The committee is recommending utilizing the road maintenance capital reserve and adding $70,000 as a warrant article for 2026.  The total amount the committee is recommending for capital reserve warrant article is $390,000. The full committee report is included in the minutes.  The board commended the committee on their work.  Chris Jensen thanked the board for being forward thinking and planning for the future.  Martie Cook asked if the board was considering operating expenses of the future transfer station in the 2026 budget.  Chairwoman Strand noted there would be construction costs and possible Transfer Station operator costs in the budget to help consult with the construction.

Minutes 10/20 and 10/27- Selectman MacDonald motioned to approve the minutes from 10/20.  Selectwoman Hibberd seconded and all were in favor. 

The minutes from 10/27 were tabled.

Chairwoman Strand made a motion to adjourn at 8:00. Selectman Bruno seconded, and all were in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Moritz

Town Administrator