KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) The Keene City Council’s Finance, Organization and Personnel Committee advanced a wide range of budget, infrastructure and public safety measures Thursday night, including a proposal to add four firefighters, millions in bond appropriations for capital projects and a resolution aimed at pushing back against state “downshifting” costs onto local taxpayers.
Among the largest actions taken during the May 28 meeting was the committee’s recommendation to move forward with multiple bond-funded infrastructure projects and a plan to close a funding gap in the city’s downtown infrastructure reconstruction project.
The committee unanimously recommended adoption a resolution which would reallocate unused bond proceeds and project balances while also appropriating an additional $1.2 million from the city’s unassigned general fund balance to address a shortfall in the downtown infrastructure project.
Committee members also advanced a series of bond resolutions tied to city capital projects, including:
  • $1,117,000 for the Robin Hood Park Improvement Project
  • $3,509,300 for the city’s Stormwater Resiliency Program
  • $825,000 for the Martell Court Bypass Project
  • $1,369,200 for the Downtown Sewer Improvements Program
  • $1,690,200 for Water Distribution Improvements
Additional appropriations included $3.93 million for downtown infrastructure improvements and reconstruction, $500,000 for roadway preservation and rehabilitation, and $439,200 for the Gilbo Avenue Solar Pavilion Project.
A planned bond resolution tied to the Ashuelot River Dam repair or removal project was withdrawn while the city continues pursuing grant funding.
Fire Department Staffing Proposal Draws Extensive Discussion
One of the evening’s most significant discussions centered on a proposal to add four firefighters — one assigned to each shift — beginning July 1.
Fire Chief Jason Martin and Deputy Chief Gregory Seymour outlined increasing call demands, staffing pressures and overtime costs facing the department.
Seymour said annual call volume has more than doubled over the last 15 years, rising from roughly 3,089 calls in 2009 and 2010 to 6,662 calls in 2024, making Keene the fifth busiest fire department in New Hampshire.
“We have six minutes to get a victim out of the building,” Seymour told councilors while discussing structure fire response demands. “After six minutes, their survivability goes down almost 80%.”
He also emphasized the department’s role in emergency medical response, noting that survival rates for cardiac arrest patients rapidly decline without immediate intervention.
Martin said the department currently relies heavily on overtime to maintain minimum staffing levels, with at least one firefighter absent 92% of the time due to vacations, illness or vacancies.
“In FY25 this equated to 24,385 hours of overtime,” he said.
City officials said hiring four additional firefighters would cost approximately $525,460 annually, but projected overtime savings could offset nearly all of that expense.
Councilors also discussed the physical and mental toll that sustained overtime places on firefighters.
“What we can’t quantify here is the toll that this overtime is taking on the staff that exists,” one councilor said during the discussion.
City Manager Elizabeth Ferland acknowledged the proposal would increase the tax rate because the positions are not currently included in the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget. However, she said the city is effectively already paying those costs through overtime expenditures.
“We have borrowed from Peter to pay Paul,” Dragon said. “Now we are biting the bullet by raising the taxes to pay for it.”
The committee accepted the staffing presentation and directed the city manager to introduce a formal resolution at the next City Council meeting to fund the four positions.
Resolution Targets State “Downshifting”
The committee also unanimously supported a motion directing the city manager to introduce a resolution calling for an end to state “downshifting” and unfunded mandates that increase pressure on local property taxpayers.
Councilors debated whether the term “downshifting” was too politically charged, with some suggesting “cost shifting” instead. Others argued “downshifting” more accurately describes costs transferred from the state to municipalities.
Resident Kenneth Stewart praised the revised draft resolution during public comment, saying it relied more heavily on financial data and facts rather than rhetoric.
“This draft is a huge improvement with these numbers,” Stewart said. “It makes it much more fact-based.”
City officials said additional county-level cost figures tied to Medicaid and the New Hampshire Retirement System may be included in a separate letter accompanying the resolution.
Rick Wood Appointed Emergency Management Director
The committee unanimously approved the appointment of Fire Marshal Rick Wood as the city’s next Emergency Management Director effective July 1.
Dragon said Wood’s experience and background made him well-suited for the role, and councilors praised the detailed information provided about his qualifications.
Ashuelot River Park Playground Design Approved
Deputy City Manager Andy Bohannon presented a proposal to hire Lula Studio to develop a conceptual design for a natural playground at the Ashuelot River Park Green Space Project.
Bohannon said four firms responded to the city’s request for proposals and that Lula Studio stood out for its collaborative public engagement process, including opportunities for children and families to participate in design discussions.
The committee authorized the city manager to negotiate a contract with Lula Studio for up to $34,980 using funds from an anonymous donation.
Other Actions
The committee also approved:
  • A three-year contract with Professional Health Services for firefighter occupational medical exams
  • Permission for the Fire Department to apply again for a FEMA SAFER grant after a previous application narrowly missed funding
  • A contract with Wright-Pierce for engineering oversight during construction of the Martell Court pump station bypass project
  • A $78,000 contract change order with Vortex for additional stormwater spot repairs
Public Works Director Don Lussier also presented a proposed 5% increase to water and sewer utility rates, the first increase since 2022. Lussier said the increase is intended to gradually catch up with inflation and rising operating costs rather than impose a larger one-time jump.
“The intent and the goal is not a 5% per year forever cost increase,” Lussier said.
The committee unanimously adopted the ordinance, which takes effect July 1.
Councilors additionally approved updated non-union wage schedules that include a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for city employees.
The committee’s budget recommendation for fiscal year 2027 includes $32.94 million to be raised through taxation, total operating revenues of $46.76 million and overall appropriations totaling approximately $79.7 million.