HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCMeetingMinutes_02.07.05 Town of North Andover
Finance Committee Minutes
-� February 7, 2005
ATTENDANCE:
Finance Committee: Jack Watkins, Chair; Keith Mitchell, Vice Chair (arrived at 6:25 p.m.); Mike Batsimm; Melinda
Coppa; Steve Dawe;B Fink;Mark Nichols;Paula Porten;and Paul Stewart.
CALL TO ORDER: Jack called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
MINUTES:
After a brief discussion of the Minutes of February 3, Paula MOVED to accept the minutes as written. Melinda
SECONDED the motion. The vote was 8-0,with Keith arriving after the vote.
NEW BUSINESS:
Finance Committee Protocol:
Paul noted that in light of some misunderstandings regarding member votes, it's important that it be made clear how each
member has voted on a question by the end of that meeting. Then,Jack asked the Committee members to please respect each
others' opinions and kindly conduct only one conversation at a time during meetings. A further issue was discussed
regarding an a-mail sent by a Committee member to a member of the Board of Selectmen,that had caused some issues. Jack
noted that he had spent considerable time smoothing out the issue, and would appreciate it if members used discretion and/or
check with him before sending potentially volatile correspondence.
Special Town Meeting--Format:
Jack distributed a handout detailing the format of the Special Town Meeting to follow this one. There will be a motion to
consider the main article authorizing the Police Station, article 2, first. Following presumably favorable recommendations
from the Selectmen and the FinCom, a joint presentation from Chief Stanley, BoS Chairperson Rosemary Smedile, Tom
Coppa of the Police Station Building Committee,Architect Alan Lieb,and most importantly, our own Chairman Jack.
CIP:
A brief discussion ensued about the CIP budget. Melinda noted her disappointment that the School Committee didn't vote on
the CIP budget. Superintendent Harutunian had discussed the budget with them, but they should have had more input. B
opined that the town should start work earlier in the year on the CTP, ideally by September, in order that we may have
sufficient time to review. Paul agreed, especially for big-ticket items,noting that maybe we could get the long-term, higher-
end items first and fill in the details later. Paul also brought up some the Committee's issues with the CIP budget, and
referenced Steve and B's list of concerns, but that the plan appears to have been constructed the same way as previous.
Melinda brought up the issue of buying technology items with a 3-5 year useful life,and bonding them over 20 years.
Next Items:
We will be getting the operating budget from Town Manager Mark Rees, and we'll begin our review at the next meeting.
Jack is looking for questions to the Manager. Paul asked if we were getting access to the manager requests, as we did in the
previous years,noting that they provided lots of background information.
The new Finance Director starts on February 14th,
MOTION TO RECESS: B MOVED to recess the meeting at 6:40 p.m., to be automatically reconvened at 7:00 p.m. at the
Special Town Meeting. Keith SECONDED the motion. The vote was unanimous.
NEXT MEETING: The following meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 176 at 6:30 p.m. in the first floor
conference room of Town Hall.
ADJOURNMENT: Following the Special Town Meeting-there being no further business, Keith MOVED to adjourn
the meeting. Melinda SECONDED the motion. The vote was unanimous. Time of adjournment:
8:35 p.m.
Michael Batsimm, Secretary
February 13, 2005
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