2024 March Warrant Article Explanations
Brief Explanation of Fiscal Year 2025 Warrant Articles
Article 2 Operating Budget – Proposes a budget of $35,527,448. Major increases are for increased Public Works materials and equipment, Fire Department protective equipment and training. In addition, it includes the cost for filling the vacant Assistant Town Administrator position. If the Operating Budget is approved, the estimated Operating Budget Tax rate would be $4.94 per $1,000 which is an increase of $0.23 over the previous year.
Article 3 Sewer Fund Operating Budget – Proposes a budget of $2,426,706. The Sewer Fund is a Special Revenue Fund and all costs are paid by sewer users and not the property taxpayer. There are no changes to the sewer rates for Fiscal Year 2025. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 4 Water Fund Operating Budget – Proposes a budget of $4,371,665. The Water Fund is a Special Revenue Fund and all costs are paid by water users and not the property taxpayer. There are no changes to the water rates for Fiscal Year 2025. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 5 Hudson Public Works Union Contract - Provides for a 5 year contract with the employees in the Hudson Public Works Union. Employees in this union include Foremen, Equipment Operators, Truck Driver Laborers and other Public Works employees. Provides for a 3.0% COLA in years 1 and 2 and a 3.5% COLA in years 3, 4 and 5 as well as anniversary steps for those that are eligible. (Tax impact is $0.02 per $1,000)
Article 6 Hudson Firefighters IAFF Union Contract - Provides for a 3 year contract with the employees in the Hudson Firefighters IAFF Union. Employees in this union include Firefighter/AEMTs, Paramedics, Lieutenants and Fire Dispatchers. Provides for a 3.0% COLA in year 1 and 2 and a 4% COLA in year 3 and anniversary steps for those that are eligible. (Tax impact is $0.05 per $1,000)
Article 7 Funding for One Fire Captain Training Officer – Proposes to hire a training officer for the Fire Department. This would be a Fire Captain who would be responsible for developing, implementing and managing the Fire Department’s training program. This amount includes the salary ($92,423) and benefits ($72,468) for the position. (Tax impact is $0.03 per $1,000)
Article 8 Town Wide Paving – Proposes to increase the Town annual paving budget from $990,000 to $1,090,000. The paving budget was last increased in 2021. There are over 200 lane miles of roads in Hudson that the Town is responsible to maintain. (Tax impact is $0.02 per $1,000)
Article 9 Melendy Road Bridge Rehabilitation – Proposes to raise funds for the construction phase of the Melendy Road bridge rehabilitation project. The State Bridge Aid program is providing the bulk of the funding for this bridge which is on the State’s red list. This bridge is on Melendy Road over First Brook. (Tax impact is $0.02 per $1,000)
Article 10 Circumferential Highway Feasibility Study – Proposes to raise the Town’s 20% share of a feasibility and preliminary engineering study that the NHDOT has listed on their 10 year highway plan. This study would cover the southern portion of the proposed highway and would be used to determine if the highway is economically and environmentally feasible to move forward. (Tax impact is $0.04 per $1,000)
Article 11 Police Safety Equipment Capital Reserve Funding - Funds a Capital Reserve Fund that was established in March 2021 for the purpose of purchasing new and replacement body worn cameras, Tasers and bullet proof shields. Proposes to use $105,000 from the Town’s fund balance of approximately $7.6 million as the source of funding. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 12 Property Revaluation Capital Reserve Funding - Funds a Capital Reserve Fund that was established in March 2008 for the purpose of future property revaluations. NH Municipalities are required to reassess property a minimum of once every 5 years. Hudson’s last Town-wide property reassessment was in 2022. (Tax impact is $0.01 per $1,000)
Article 13 VacCon Truck Replacement Capital Reserve Funding - Funds a Capital Reserve Fund that was established in March 2006 for the purpose of replacing the VacCon truck. The VacCon truck is used to clean out the Town’s sewer system and storm water drainage system. ½ of the funding comes from the Sewer Fund and ½ comes from the General Fund. The truck has a life expectancy of 8 to 10 years. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 14 Fire Apparatus Capital Reserve Funding - Funds a Capital Reserve Fund that was established in March 2000 for the purpose of purchasing and replacing the Town’s large fire apparatus such as engines, pumpers, ladder trucks, and forestry units. (Tax impact is $0.01 per $1,000)
Article 15 Fire Apparatus Refurbishment/Repair Capital Reserve Funding - Funds a Capital Reserve Fund that was established in March 2008 for the purpose of refurbishing and repairing the Town’s large fire apparatus to extend their useful life. (Tax impact is $0.02 per $1,000)
Article 16 Fire Equipment Capital Reserve Funding - Funds a Capital Reserve Fund that was established in March 2011 for the purpose of purchasing fire and EMS equipment including firefighter protective clothing, self-contained breathing apparatus, and other specialized equipment. (Tax impact is $0.01 per $1,000)
Article 17 Generator Replacement/Repair Capital Reserve Funding - Funds a Capital Reserve Fund that was established in March 2022 for the purpose of replacing and repairing the Town’s emergency power generators. There are currently 21 emergency generators equally split between town buildings, sewer pump stations and water booster stations and wells. The funding for this article is split 1/3 from the General Fund, 1/3 from the Sewer Fund and 1/3 from the Water Fund. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 18 Benson Park Renovation Capital Reserve Funding - Funds a Capital Reserve Fund that was established in March 1998 for the purpose of purchasing and renovation the Benson Park property. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 19 Establish a Drainage Capital Reserve Fund - Establishes a Capital Reserve Fund under RSA 35:1 for the purpose repairing or replacing the Town’s storm drain system. There are approximately 100 miles of storm drainage in Town and much of it predates the 1970’s. (Tax impact is $0.02 per $1,000)
Article 20 Discontinue Ambulance Capital Reserve Fund Capital Reserve Fund - Dissolves a Capital Reserve Fund that was established in 1994 for the purposing of purchasing and replacing ambulances and equipment. These are now bought through the EMS Revolving Fund. The remaining funds in this reserve fund will be paid back to the Town’s general fund. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 21 Revised Property Tax Exemption for the Elderly – Raises the exemption amounts and annual income levels for qualified elderly residents. In 2023, the Town granted 179 elderly exemptions. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 22 Revised Property Tax Exemption for the Disabled – Raises the exemption amounts and annual income levels for qualified disabled residents. In 2023, the Town granted 27 disabled exemptions. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 23 Revised Property Tax Exemption for the Blind – Raises the exemption amount for qualified blind residents. In 2023, the Town granted 14 blind exemptions. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 24 Establish a Fire Alarm/Master Box Revolving Fund – Establishes a revolving fund per RSA 31:95-h (b) for the purpose of maintaining and monitoring the Town’s Fire Alarm and Master Box System. Funding for this revolving fund will come from system user fees collected from commercial and residential customers. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 25 Lease Agreement South Water Tank – Proposes a lease agreement with Verizon Wireless to install signal boosting equipment on the South Hudson Water Tank. 1st year lease payment to the Town is $28,800 and will increase by 2% annually for the life of the lease. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 26 Lease Agreement West Road Landfill – Proposes a lease agreement with Kearsarge Energy for a solar panel farm on a portion of the capped West Road Landfill. 1st year lease payment to the Town is $48,400 and will increase by 2.25% annually for the life of the lease. The Town and School District will also receive savings, estimated to start at $97,389 in the first year and increasing on an annual basis for the life of the lease, on their electric bills based on the amount of electricity produced. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 27 Study Needs for New Town Hall (by Petition) – By citizen petition. This petition proposes to conduct a study to review the costs of renovating the current Town Hall or building a new facility. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 28 Required Public Input (by Petition) – By citizen petition. This petition proposes to require any public board, committee or general public meeting to include time for public input. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 29 Comprehensive Infrastructure Study (by Petition) – By citizen petition. This petition proposes to complete an independent infrastructure study of developments impact to traffic, emergency services, schools, sewer and water needs and impact fees assessed to developers. The study results will be used to upgrade the Master Plan, Zoning ordinances and land use regulations. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 30 Change Election Day Date (by Petition) – By citizen petition. This petition proposes to change the date of the annual Town and School District elections from the 2nd Tuesday in March to the 2nd Tuesday in April. A similar article is on the School District ballot and both articles would need to pass for this to take effect. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 31 West Road Landfill Remote Control Airplane Club (by Petition) – By citizen petition. This petition proposes to allow the Southern NH Radio Control Club continued use of the capped portion of the West Road Landfill. This is the area where the Solar Panel Farm is being proposed in Article 26. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 32 Adopt Town Manager Form of Government (by Petition) – By citizen petition. This petition proposes to change the form of Town government from the current Town Administrator form to a Town Manager form. (Tax impact is $0.00 per $1,000)
Article 33 Amend Wetland Conservation District Boundaries – Proposes to increase the current wetland buffer from fifty (50) feet to seventy-five (75) feet for nonresidential uses.
Article 34 Amend General Regulations – Flood Damage Prevention – Proposes to incorporate required changes to the Town Code Chapter 218 as required by the National Flood Insurance Program.
Article 35 Amend 334-6 Contractors Yard Definition – Proposes to add more definition to Chapter 334-6 of the Town Zoning Ordinance for Contractor’s Yards.
Article 36 Amend Table of Permitted Uses – Religious Purposes – Proposes to amend the Zoning Ordinance Table of Permitted Uses to allow Religious Use of Land and Structures in all zoning districts per State RSA 674:76.
Article 37 Amend Table of Permitted Uses – Farm Stands – Proposes to amend the Zoning Ordinance Table of Permitted Uses to permit seasonal farm stands for retail sale of produce or Christmas trees in the Industrial (I) District.
Article 38 Amend Table of Permitted Uses – Auto Fuel Stations – Proposes to amend the Zoning Ordinance Table of Permitted Uses to prohibit gas stations and gas stations with general retail in the General (G) and General-1 (G-1) Districts.
Article 39 Amend Table of Permitted Uses – Car Wash – Proposes to amend the Zoning Ordinance Table of Permitted Uses to prohibit car washes in the General (G) and General-1 (G-1) Districts.
Article 40 Amend Table of Permitted Uses – Mobile Food Services – Proposes to amend the Zoning Ordinance Table of Permitted Uses to permit mobile park food service in the Business (B) District.
Article 41 Amend Table of Permitted Uses - Outdoor Recreation – Proposes to amend the Zoning Ordinance Table of Permitted Uses to permit outdoor commercial recreation in the Business (B) district by right not special exception.
Article 42 Amend Table of Permitted Uses – Itinerant Vendors – Proposes to amend the Zoning Ordinance Table of Permitted Uses to permit itinerant roadside vending in the Business (B) district.
Article 43 Amend Table of Permitted Uses Remove References – Proposes to amend the Zoning Ordinance Table of Permitted Uses to remove redundant references to tattoo parlors and body art/piercing which are already covered under another section of the Zoning Ordinance.
Article 44 Rezone Parcels from General to Residential – Proposes to amend the Official Zoning Map of the Town by rezoning certain parcels from the General (G) District to the Residential-2 (R-2) District.
Article 45 Rezone 48-50 Friars Drive to Industrial (I) – Proposes to amend the Official Zoning Map of the Town by rezoning 48-50 Friars Drive from the current General (G) District to the Industrial (I) District.
Article 46 Rezone West Road Parcels to Industrial (I) – Proposes to amend the Official Zoning Map of the Town by rezoning certain parcels on West Road from the current Business (B) District to the Industrial (I) District.
Article 47 Rezone Parcels on Lowell Road – Proposes to amend the Official Zoning Map of the Town by rezoning certain parcels on Lowell Road from the current General (G) District to the Business (B) District.
Article 48 Petition to Amend Town Code 334-38 – By citizen petition. This petition proposes to amend the Town Zoning Ordinance to prohibit the development or operation of a snow dump or a gas station on areas that are identified as overlays to moderate or high yield aquifers.
Article 49 Petition to Amend Town Code 334-15.1 – By citizen petition. This petition proposes to amend the Town Zoning Ordinance to require stores selling gasoline at retail be located at least 3,000 feet from another store selling gasoline at retail.
Article 50 Petition One Year Temporary Building Moratorium – By citizen petition. This petition proposes to place a one year temporary moratorium on issuing new building permits and approving subdivisions or site plans in the Business (B), Industrial (I), General (G) and General-1 (G-1) Districts in order to give the Town time to update its Master Plan and Zoning regulations.
