Shall the Town of Hampton vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $38,292 over and above the amount funded by the 2022 operating budget, to expand the Conservation Coordinator position from a 29-hour part-time position to a 40-hour full- time position, including salary and benefits, in order to meet the increasing responsibilities in service to the Town of Hampton, starting on April 1, 2022 and for the balance of 2022, with the estimated full year cost in 2023 of this full time position being $86,300, including salary and benefits, and all future costs to be included in the Conservation Commission’s annual budget and the default budget going forward? (Majority vote required)
What it means: The Conservation Commission is asking that the Part Time position of Coordinator be converted to Full Time. The 2022 dollar amount represents the increased cost for the latter 3 quarters of the year, above what the Part-time position costs. The 2023 dollar amount is a full-year cost. In the future, all salary and benefits will be part of the Operating Budget.
Those in favor say: The Conservation Coordinator is the ONLY paid position on the Commission. The work done helps to ensure that our townspeople are good stewards of our Wetlands Conservation District, and that our water, wildlife, and natural recreation resources are as healthy and well-functioning as possible.
When the Conservation Coordinator position was created in 2007, the primary responsibilities were to answer questions and provide assistance to people completing their Hampton Wetland Permit applications, and to handle the administrative responsibilities of the Commission, including responding to incoming phone calls, filing applications, and dealing with incoming and outgoing correspondence.
In the intervening 15 years, additional responsibilities have been added to the Coordinator position, including:
- Review plans and participate in Planning Review Committee (PRC) monthly meetings
- Review Operations & Maintenance manuals for stormwater management, snow removal and other issues.
- Sign Certificates of Occupancy, including site visits to ensure that Wetland Permit conditions (where applicable) have been addressed
- Provide input when appropriate at Planning Board reviews of Wetland permit applications
- Review wetlands ordinance variance requests that are going before the Zoning Board and provide input/answer questions when appropriate
- Review driveway permits where wetlands are present to determine if Wetland Permits need to be secured
- Review Wetlands Permits for impervious coverage issues
- Represent the Conservation Commission at monthly Coastal Hazards Adaptation Team (CHAT) meetings
- Help ensure that projects in the Wetlands Conservation District are compliant with FEMA and other floodplain regulations
- Review Elevation Certificates
- Annually hire, train, and supervise summer interns who monitor Hampton conservation lands and easements
- Send reminder letters to property owners when their Wetlands Permits are close to expiring so they can be renewed if need be
- Send letters to new property owners in Hampton who have wetlands/buffers on their properties to cordially invite them to meet with the Coordinator before initiating any projects on their property, to help ensure that they are in compliance with Town wetland ordinances
- Update online GIS system with info regarding each Hampton and NHDES Wetland permit issued
- Add Wetland Permit notes to Hampton property tax cards where required
- Work with the Building Inspector and Town Planner on flood plain management issues
- Coordinate public outreach projects that help encourage good stewardship related to conservation principles and goals (examples: Annual painted rain barrel auction, and installation of rain gardens)
- Town Forest events, including winter snowshoeing and spring clean-ups.
- Create and publish a quarterly Conservation Commission newsletter
Those against say: No one spoke against this Article at the Deliberative Session.
Fiscal impact: In this fiscal year, a property valued at $400,000 would see a tax increase of $4.00 if this Article passes. Using 2022 valuations for the tax base, there would be an increase of $9.01 in 2023, which would be the full year value. In subsequent years, the compensation for the Conservation Coordinator would be included in the Operating Budget. To calculate the effect on your own property, use .01 times your valuation divided by 1,000 in 2022 and .0225 in 2023.