IR-2023-239, Dec. 14, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2024 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

• 67 cents per mile driven for business use, up 1.5 cents from 2023.

• 21 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the Armed Forces, a decrease of 1 cent from 2023.

• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations; the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2023.

These rates apply to electric and hybrid-electric automobiles as well as gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles.

The standard mileage rate for business use is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs.

Abatements  as recommended by our Assessors -  Please make separate motions.

I make a motion to approve the abatement for the property at Map 16, Lot 11 in the amount of $63.50

I make a motion to approve the abatement for the property at  Map 11, Lot 41 in the amount of $867.00

Land Use Change Tax (LUCT) Applications- 

I approve the Land Use Change Tax Warrant for Map  22, Lot 14  in the amount of  $52,063.00

I approve the Land Use Change Tax Warrant for Map 16, Lot 46-4  in the amount of $18,000

Personnel Policy Changes -  Wage  Plan

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT

• • Notice below on Pennichuck Rate Class - Hearing to Dismiss

  • Website Survey to be released  (see Below)

  • Stormwater Post-Construction Ordinance - working with CEI and Planning Board

  • NH Emergency Notification System (NH-ENS) Genasys 

  • Upcoming Public Hearings - STORMWATER ILLICIT DISCHARGE ORDINANCE and Acceptance of the State Clean Fleet Grant - New plow truck 

  • State legislative updates:

On January 17, at 9:00 a.m. in LOB 206 - 208, the House Judiciary Committee will hear testimony on HB 1002, which seeks to strike a balance between large records requests that cost municipalities days of work and thousands of dollars and the need to comply with these large requests. 

The House Municipal and County Government Committee begins its hearings on the morning of January 9, at 10:00 a.m., the committee will hear HB 1086, which would allow municipalities to post public notice for zoning board of adjustment hearings on the town website, if available, instead of in a newspaper publication. If enacted, this would dramatically decrease the costs of publication of notice, which, in many cases, is paid by the applicant. 

HB 1479  - This bill would affect any organization that supports or opposes legislation at the state house on behalf  of the public officials or employees it represents: police chiefs association, fire chiefs association, town clerks association, tax collectors association, health officers association, planners association, managers association, public works association—and the list goes on. 

HB 436 was amended and then immediately laid it on the table. As amended, this bill would appropriate $50 million in fiscal year 2024 to the New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS) to pay down the unfunded accrued liability. For fiscal year 2023, NHRS reported an unfunded liability of $5.60 billion. Current actuarial valuations estimate that the unfunded liability accounts for over 75 percent of current employer rates borne solely by the participating employers and local taxpayers. The intent of HB 436 is to pay down the UAAL on a more aggressive schedule, resulting in lowered future employer contribution rates and promoting a solvent, fiscally healthy, and financially sustainable defined benefit plan. Over a 20-year period a $50 million dollar payment applied in FY 2024 could have a compounded savings impact of $105 million. It is critical legislators hear from municipal officials on the importance of reducing employer contribution rates and moving toward a fully funded retirement system. Tabling HB 436 preserves the bill for later consideration in the event state surplus can be considered to fund this proposal. 

Re: DW 23-088 Pennichuck Water Works, Inc.; Pennichuck East Utility, Inc.;  Pittsfield Aqueduct Company, Inc. Consolidated Permanent Rate Proceeding Proposed Procedural Schedule

Hearing on Motion to Dismiss January 23, 2024, 9 AM  After soliciting input from the parties and adhering to the Commission’s request for availability for the week of January 22nd, parties were only collectively available on January 23rd.  The Pennichuck Companies note that the Commission’s calendar has a hearing scheduled for that afternoon from 1 to 4 PM.  We hope that this does not present a conflict to our morning hearing.  We attempted to find an alternative date for the following week, however, no common date was available.  We presume if January 23rd is no longer.

Commencement of Adjudicative Proceeding and Notice of Prehearing Conference

On December 15, 2023, Pennichuck East Utility, Inc. (PEU), Pittsfield Aqueduct Company (PAC), and Pennichuck Water Works, Inc. (PWW)(Collectively, the Joint Petitioners) filed a joint petition requesting that the Commission approve PWW’s acquisition of PEU and PAC pursuant to agreements and plans of merger. In support of their petition, the Joint Petitioners submitted the direct testimony and related attachments of: John J. Boisvert, Chief Engineer of PWW (Boisvert Testimony); Donald L. Ware, Chief Operating Officer of PWW (Ware Testimony); and George Torres, the Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Corporate Controller of PWW and Pennichuck Corporation (Penn Corp). All docket filings, other than any information subject to confidential treatment, are available on the Commission’s website at www.puc.nh.gov/regulatory/docketbk/2023/23-101/html.
See Notice Here

The Commission has scheduled a Pre-Hearing Conference to be held at the Commission’s Offices in Concord on February 6, 2024 at 9:00am.  At the Pre-hearing Conference, the Commission will hear preliminary statements from PWW and other parties, and will consider requests for formal intervener status.  Individuals seeking to intervene in the proceedings shall file with the Commission a petition to intervene with copies sent to Joint Petitioners and any other parties on the service list, on or before January 19, 2024.

The Pre-Hearing Conference is open to the public.  Customers and other interested parties are invited to attend the Pre-Hearing and comment on PWW’s request.  Those unable to attend the hearing may submit written comments to the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission at 21 South Fruit Street, Suite 10, Concord NH 03301 or via e-mail at puc@puc.nh.gov 

SELECTMEN REPORTS

1. Recreation Commission Representative - Steven J. Webber

2. School Facilities Improvement Committee - Kevin A. Lynch

3. Budget Committee Representative - F. Robert Leary Sr., 

4. Planning Board Representative - Kimberly M. Queenan

5. Capital Improvement Committee Representative - Kimberly M. Queenan

6. Conservation Commission Representative - Kevin A. Lynch

7. Heritage Commission Representative - G. Steven Gannon

8. Emergency Management Team - Kevin A. Lynch