HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCMeetingMinutes_03.14.02 FINANCE COMMITTEE Mr UTES
March 14 2002
ATTENDANCE: Members present: Bernice Fink,Vice Chairman, Stephen Dawe;Keith Mitchell;Paula Porten;Paul
Stewart;Jack Watkins;Mark Weber
Members not present: Michael Garron
Also present: Finance Director Chuck Benevento,Fire Chief William Dolan,Town Assessor Garrett Boles,Town Clerk Joyce
Bradshaw,and Emergency Management Director John Coco
CALL TO ORDER: Bernice Fink called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:-No Minutes approved.
NEW BUSINESS
FY03 Fire Department Operating Budget Presentation
Chief Dolan reviewed the FY03 Fire Dept.Operating Budget. In order to meet the 5%budget reduction of$167,930,the most
significant change will be to shut down the second ambulance and decide on a shift-to-shift basis whether or not to staff it.
Without an override,other major budget reductions and impacts from FY02 to FY03 are:
• $56.5K Severance Pay—No fire personnel scheduled to retire
• $28.8K Other Pay—Was in FY02 budget for prolonged retirement of a firefighter due to illness
• $22.2K Overtime—No added personnel during storms,no periodic DPR training,reduced hours for investigation and
involvement with the juvenile fire-setters program
• $17.2K Vacation Pay manning--Reduction in money available by 8 weeks
• $18.5K Injury Pay manning—Reduction in available money
• $I7.OK Additional Equipment—Fire hoses and portable extrication tool not required in FY03
• $14.2Kitraining and education,$10.OKltrauma intervention,$11,5K protective equipment,
Finance anmmastra
tion Operating Budget Presentation
,
Assessing Office
Garrett Boles said that given a choice in meeting the 5%reduction in his FY03 budget,he prefers to keep the part time position
(to be shared with the Town Clerk's Office)and cut money from the budget. The budget reductions include$I 5.0K taken out
of Appraisal Fees and$1.5K taken out of Professional Development. He said that the reductions may cause delays in
processing the State mandated revaluation process,and if this occurs,the funds will have to be made available from Surplus
Overlay. He also mentioned that they will be implementing a new state computer appraisal system and begin the revaluation
process in FY03.
Town Clerk's Office
Joyce Bradshaw stressed that her office desperately needs additional staffing to provide necessary service to the public due to
the 20%increase in population,the mandatory increase from 6 to 8 precincts,and the three elections that are scheduled in
FY03. Although she was instructed to reduce her budget by 5%,it will actually be reduced by 11.4%if there is no override.
The major budget reductions and impacts from FY02 to FY03 recommended without an override include$17.6K for Outside
Professional Services and$18.3K for voting machines. S12.0K was added for Election and Meeting Workers.
Emergency Management
John Coco discussed the items he cut in order to reduce his budget by 5%. He voiced particular concern over the $1,500 that
was to be used to move his equipment from the Senior Center to the basement of the Fire Department. He also mentioned that
he is trying to add up to 9 additional auxiliary police.
Other Finance and Administration Departments
Finance Director Chuck Benevento briefly reviewed the remaining Finance and Administration Departments:
• Town Manager's Office—Full time clerk position cut to part time
• Human Resources— $15.OK cut from department request for Employee Assistance Program
• Celebrations-$7.8K is in the budget for fireworks
• Finance Committee—cut 5%from$8.5 budgeted in FY02 to$8.1K without an override.$11.5 was requested for '
FY03.
Town Accountant—9%increase with or without an override. $22.2K recommended for Outside Professional Services
due to implementation of required GASB34 Inventory System. Concern was voiced over the$2.OK cut in Office
Supplies because of the high cost of cartridges in order to process the Payroll.
• Treasurer's Office-$12.1 K for part time help moved to Town Clerk's budget.
• Auditing—Department request of$40.OK was recommended by Town Manager with our without an override.
• MIS—5.6%budget cut includes$6.2K for Training,and$3.2K for Internet Service with or without an override.
Request for$67.1K for improvement to Network backbone is reduced to 39.6K without an override but will increase
to $54.6K with an override. Request denied for$30.OK for Outside Professional Services. $15.OK was added to buy
out the leases on existing computer equipment.
Closing the Town Hall for up to two days per week was discussed.
OLD BUSINESS
DPW Operating_Budget Update
The Finance Director updated the committee on the following:
• Refuse/Recycling—Deficit potential is$56,850. There is going to be more non-brokered trash which could
potentially result in an increase.
• Snow and Ice—As of March 13,2002,there is a deficit of$77,738. B.Fink requested that Bill Hmurciak come to a
future Finance Committee meeting to explain the cost of cleaning up after small storms.
B.C.G.Vote on Finance Committee Appointments
Paul Stewart made a MOTION,seconded by Keith Mitchell,that the Finance Committee recognizes the worth of
communication about Town financial and budget matters and agrees as a group to be a part of such discussions and
communications with any and all representatives appointed to such a task from the School Committee and Selectmen.
Vote approved 7—0.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business,Keith Mitchell made a MOTION, seconded by Paula Porten to adjourn the meeting at 10:28 p.m.
Vote approved 7—0.
Submitted by:Carol Ritchie,Sr.Confidential Clerk