’26 Article 29 – Changes to the Cemetery Maintenance Trust Fund

To see if the Town will vote to change the existing Cemetery Maintenance Trust Fund, created in 1986 pursuant to RSA 31:19-a and amended in 2016, to the Cemetery Maintenance Capital Improvements and Expansion Trust Fund, to be administered by the Trustees of the Trust Fund; and to further authorize the Select Board as agents to expend principal and income from this fund. (2/3^rds Ballot vote required)

What it means: This fund was initiated in 1986 under the title of the “Cemetery Burial Trust Fund” for the maintenance of Town-owned cemeteries.  In 2016, the name was changed to “Cemetery Maintenance Trust Fund,” and allowed the legislative body (voters at Town Meeting) to make expenditures from both the principal and the interest in the Fund. The current question asks whether the Fund can be used to expand the capacity of the cemeteries (in addition to maintenance) and it changes the authority for making withdrawals from the voters to the Board of Selectmen. Note that because this is a change to a Trust Fund, 67% approval by the voters is required to pass.

No one spoke for or against this Article at Deliberative Session, other than to explain it.

Fiscal impact: No tax immediate impact. However, if the principal is depleted by virtue of the broader definition of the purpose of the Fund, future maintenance expenditures may need to be covered by other sources of revenue, such as taxes.