County Farm Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
November 17, 2016
Call to order 8:09am
In attendance: Susan Wiley, Steve Knox, Olivia Saunders, Becky Mason
Ken Robichaud, Ed Comeau, Will DeWitte
Susan made motion to accept minutes as is from October 20
Steve seconded motion
Motion passed
RFP Feasibility Study update – Rose Wilson hasn’t gotten back to us yet, she was going to be reviewing
Draft RFP for us
Becky has separated DPW and Farm Budget expenses. Eventually she will have 2 data tables for two
main activities, DPW and Farm. Ken has been helpful in supplying information.
Wendy has worked on hours spent on activities from farm staff, which will help extrapolate expenses
Becky made a motion on deciding the budget: Use 21% on general expenses that can be related to the
farm. Charge the farm 21% for these items (ie: electricity, phones, etc.). 21% is based on hours spent by
DPW employees
Susan 2nd motion
2nd of April was date when hours started to be reported, therefore we don’t have data of hours worked
from 1st quarter. Will estimates that there was a bit more wood production last winter than normal
since it was a warm winter.
Will DeWitt always estimated the farm was about 25% of labor, so our number of 21% seems correct to
him, and now there’s data to demonstrate this.
Per hay hours from year to year: it takes almost just as much time to get hay in in a bad year versus a
good year because Employees still needs to make the same number of passes in the field. It may take a
bit more time to put hay away, but generally the same amount of time.
Motion passed.
Revenue discussion
Between wood and Hay Becky worked on organizing numbers, hoping to have numbers organized by
next week.
Steve would like full report on financial data by next meeting on Dec 1
A few items like tree paint which are charged as an expense to the farm, where the income does not go
towards farm. There are a few small items which Becky would like to clarify before presenting numbers.
Inmate hours – 7500 hours per year put out to DPW, it is not separated out past general.
Average to house an inmate is $75/day or $3.60/hr
Costs $27,163 for inmate labor (3.60 x 7500hrs) this equals 3.6 FTE
Without inmate labor, DPW work would need to be modified
There are more courses aimed at heroin epidemic within the jail, which is affecting available DPW
inmate labor.
Eventually Wendy & Becky will be able to determine the cost of a bale of hay or a bag of wood, but not
until revenue numbers have been determined.
Thanks to Wendy, Becky, Ken and Chuck for determining these numbers
Susan would like to see list of what we own, like such things as wood processor, high tunnel, tractors
etc.
We have many of these items under insurance paperwork
There is a list of 2015 equipment and facilities with average lifespan and cost of maintenance.
Ken and Will have been working on establishing a capitol fund budget which will be put forth to
delegation this year.
Solar array could take 4 acres of hay out of production. There are other lands that could be put back into
production. 2 of the acres are high yield high quality, 2 acres are high yield and medium quality.
Could save 75% on jail electricity, and 50% on nursing home electricity
Becky asked Will for description of where irrigation is in case of leasing of lands to commercial farmers.
Will expressed concern on this since water is pulled from public water supply. When farm irrigate crops
they keep a close eye on water supply since it is tied to the rest of the complex. If water is low Will lets
crops suffer since complex needs are more important than crops.
Interim business plan –
Might be advantageous to wait for this discussion until we have final budget numbers from Wendy &
Becky
Ken is already working on budget proposal for next year
Farm now provides 3-4 state campgrounds with firewood. They only sell to state run campgrounds, not
private campgrounds. Will has these contacts under a commitment, not a contract. Now under 7th
summer of providing wood to campgrounds.
Susan suggested having lands surveyed to clarify what lands are owned. This is important for tax
purposes. Some lands have been swapped with other land owners, the tax maps do not reflect these
changes. Town tax maps and county tax maps do not agree.
This issue has been discussed with commissioners, they have put $5,000 towards a survey.
Susan made a motion that this advisory committee present to the commissioners a preliminary
recommendation that a survey of county lands be done.
Becky 2nd motion
Motion passed.
Susan would like to see us expand our work from just the budget. We need to also provide delegation
and commissioners with future ideas for county farms.
Short and long term goals are different. Short term we are working on budget data. Long term goals are
evaluating future of county farm.
Susan would like to offer public to be engaged in process, to discuss with us over ideas on county farm,
since we are not moving forward right now on RFP or listening sessions.
Becky suggested meeting with town selectmen to listen to what people would like to see with the
county lands.
Update community groups on what we want to hear from the community.
Could attend selectman meetings in towns around the county. We would have to frame history of the
group, and our charge before we ask public what farm should be in the future.
Move meeting to 9am, in the event of closing of Governor Wentworth Schools our meeting will be
cancelled.
Next meeting Dec 1 at 9am.
motion to adjourn.
2nd motion. Motion passed
Respectfully submitted, Olivia Saunders