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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCMeetingMinutes_02.18.10 TOWN OF NORTH ANDOVER FINANCE COMMITTEE Meeting Minutes Meeting Date: February 2010 18 Meeting Location: Town Hall, Second Floor Meeting Called to order: 6:40 PM Conference Room I. FinCom Members in Attendance Mark Rodgers-MR, Chairman Ramsey Bahrawy -RB X X Peter Besen-PB, Vice Chairman Bonnie Wilkinson-BW X X Ben Osgood-BO Carlos Bielicki-CB Jean Sullivan-JS Thom Dugan-TD X X Alan LeBovidge-AL Herb Cunha-HC, Minutes X X Non FinCom Members in Attendance OTHERS: Mark Rees, MRees-Town Mgr. Christine Allen, CA-V. Chair School Committee Tracey Watson, TW-Chair. BOS Tim Willett, TimW-Water & Sewer Dept. Note: All FINCOM votes are subject to change upon receipt of new information. II. Previous Minutes Approved DATE: 11 Feb 2010 Approved with change, MR will revise, Vote: Motion MR, Seconded AL, Yes-Unanimous III. New Business AGENDA ITEM: A. Warrant Articles (Mark Rees) Discussion -MRees: He provided a listing of possible articles for Town Meeting. BOS has two weeks to review. He researched other towns to learn if they provided transparency relative to funding of union contracts. Not all towns vote on each contract funding. He is concerned about the impact that this transparency might have on our town meeting running smooth. -Discussion included fact that many town warrants review funds for each contract to include Schools. The State doesnÈt require this transparency for Schools but some towns do both. AGENDA ITEM: A. Warrant Articles (Mark Rees), continued Discussion: -Reference was made to Chapter 150e, where State Law mandates that town meeting should vote on approval of funding for the municipal contracts not school contracts. Again some towns do both. Exchange took place with FINCOM members and BOS and School Committee attendees. Question was raised about what happens if contract funding is turned down at town meeting. This question will be presented to MRees. -There is interest in learning from each town what their process is for presenting transparency on funding contracts. Education on this topic is advised so that all understand this issue. AGENDA ITEM: B. CIP-Water meter replacement review Discussion: -MR: Mentioned that $450k is shown for final, phase 5, for meter project. -TimW: Meters are read both by radio and by hand held devices. Program began 2001. Battery life is 15 years. Meter installation is now at 85% completion. Replacement will occur in the 10-15 year timeframe. Next option would be a drive-by system to read meters. An estimated cost for this system is $50k-100k. -Discussion included project with 5 phases at $350k for engineering and contractor to replace meters. Question raised about an additional $100k. In past these funds were taken from Operating Budget/Enterprise Fund. Concern was raised about rates being increased. Also we are incurring interest on the $100k since this is a10 year bond. AGENDA ITEM: C. CIP-Sewer Sutton Street review Discussion: -TimW: Piping is undersized under the street for a distance of 900 feet. Odor occurs due to hydrogen sulfide, erosion is evident and contents are rising up through the manholes because piping cannot handle the capacity. We contract out and conduct public bidding with 4 firms for engineering design. Usually 10-20 bids are received for construction. Total cost for engineering and construction is $495k. For Waverly road the $3.2M has come in lower, $1.5M. Project to begin in Spring 2010. -MR: He will send email to Mark Rees and Bruce regarding Waverly Road project coming in at a lower cost. Have the under budget funds been redirected and to be appropriated, but still in the sewer system or associated project? AGENDA ITEM: D. CIP-Police Vests Discussion: Vote Taken: AL made a motion to approve $40k CIP funds for Police body armor. Seconded by JS. There was discussion about cost sharing with other towns, NEMLEC, etc. Vote: Yes, unanimous. AGENDA ITEM: E. CIP-Police Station Equipment Discussion: Vote Taken: AL made a motion for Item 4 to approve $405k for Police Building equipment, new radio station, radio tower and associated equipment. Seconded by RB. There was discussion about funding being raised from $305k to $405k. Vote: Yes 6, No 1-RB, A 0. AGENDA ITEM: F. Labor Contract Warrant Article discussion and Vote Discussion: -Reference Item A above. Vote planned for Contract Funds transparency by 5 March 2010. III. Old Business/Non-Agenda Items NON-AGENDA ITEM: G. New Business-Fire Radios Discussion: Vote Taken: AL made a motion for Item 5 to approve funding for Fire Radios. Seconded by RB. Vote: Yes 6, No 1-RB, A 0 IV. Next Meetings Thursday, 25 Feb 2010 Town Hall, 6:30 PM V. Adjournment Motion: AL Unanimous Seconded: BW Time: 9:20 PM C=Complete ACTION ITEMS ITEM # ACTION ITEM INDIVID. COMPL. STATUS DATE 1 Send out financial assumptions model, update with MR 19 Nov C actuals, 2009 model 2 Contact Art. and Wellesley for their financial modelsMR 19 Nov 3 Check on website for financial forecasting documents PB 19 Nov 4 Contact M. Rees to invite Andover Facility Manager to MR 19 Nov C come to North Andover 5 Email Rick Nardella, BOS, about vacant Bradstreet MR 19 Nov C School for planned action Revise forecast and CIP in analysis 6 MR/TD 7 Jan C Bring binder with budget for BW to review 7 MR 7 Jan C 8 Convert minutes and Agenda to PDF format and sent MR/HC 11 Jan HC to format-C to Peter for posting. 9 Email a request to Matthew Killen and Sch Comm. to MR 4 Feb requote the IT proposal with alternative equipment and also look for the same products at different vendors with the intent of lowing the price of the project. 10 Provide a format for a position list, with columns such TD 25 Feb as FTE levels, salaries, etc. He will send to MR and MRees. Entries can then be made. 11 Prepare schedules for CIP Articles/voting A/R and MR 18 Feb Department visitations to FINCOM. 12 Schedule a Warrant Article on contracts for a vote. MR 18 Feb 13 Send email to MRees and Bruce about possible MR 25 Feb directing lower cost for Waverly Road project.