FINANCE COMMITTEE

MINUTES APRIL 12, 2004

TOWN HALL – 7:00 P.M.

Members present: Ken Goldberg, William Heitin, David Hearne, Ira Miller, Paul Pietal, Gloria Rose, Gregory Sydney, Colleen Tuck

Late:            Jonathan Hitter

Absent:         Michael Feldman, David Fixler, Charles Goodman

Also Present:  David Grasfield, Ben Puritz, Eric Hooper, George Bailey

1.       Article 1, Special Town Meeting – Land Acquisition,

· Seeks to authorize $790,000 to acquire 2 parcels totaling 30.29 acres adjacent to the RR tracks between Tall Tree Lane and Maskwonicut Street presently owned by the MBTA

· An independent appraisal jointly paid for by the MBTA and the town determined that the parcels could be subdivided into 5 buildable lots (or many more if a purchaser proposed developing under Chapter 40B) and are worth $990,000. 

· $200,000 is proposed to come from FY04 WATER Revenue Account, $990,000 from FY05.  This would be a transfer, not a borrowing. Hooper stated the funds in the Reserve Account are “rapidly being drawn down,” but purchasing the property is “an opportunity we can’t pass up.”

· The town has considered this land since the 70s to protect the aquifer.  Although it is not proposed for purchase to develop a well on these parcels, acquisition would protect a down-stream aquifer north of Canton Street, currently owned by NStar, which is a potential well-site.

· Hearne: Are there possible hazardous material next to the RR tracks?  Hopper: testing has been done and none of the chemicals in the coal dust have penetrated the ground water, which did not meet any reporting requirements.

· Goldberg: What are the consequences of development?  Hooper: nitrates from development are beginning to appear at Well #2.

2.       Article 25 – Standing Building Committee

§ Hearne: If this article passes, what about non-school articles?  Is the DPW capable of managing projects up to $1.5million?

§ Hooper:  Now doing $150 thousand project for the Police Dept, but the DPW is not set up to manage capital projects and does not have the staff to do this.

3.       Articles 22 and 23 - Community Preservation Act

• Registry of Deeds surcharge fees on transactions have accumulated to $98 million currently available.  The money is disbursed annually to participating municipalities each October and can be used for three purposes: affordable housing, acquisition of open space, and historic preservation.  Current funding is adequate to guarantee matching funds for at least 8 to 10 years.
• The articles are identical to those proposed in 2002.
• Per Assistant Assessor Mark Mazur, a 1% property tax surcharge would yield $287,492 this year.  Bailey said that low-income and elderly residents are exempt from the surcharge.
• If the Act had been adopted the first time it was proposed, the town would presently have $1.5 million in the fund.
• Heitin: What would happen if, after 5 years, the town had not spent the money?   Bailey: There is no provision in the Act for penalties or returning the money to the town, but he would get that information for the FinCom.
• Up to 5% of the money accumulated can be spent on administrative costs, such as planning.
• Grasfield: Town needs an Affordable Housing Plan.
• Sydney:  What happens if the state changes its criteria?  Bailey:  changes have been proposed, but there is no support for that by legislative leadership.
• Grasfield: Selectmen have not voted on this.  He does not support, Katz and Roach have expressed support.

4.       Article 36 – Employee Salaries

• Much discussion re role of town meeting and ability of citizens to provide input to elected officials re employees’ salaries.

      Motion to recommend indefinite postponement on Article 36:  6-2-0

Yes:    Goldberg, Heitin, Miller, Pietal, Rose, Tuck

No:      Hearne, Sydney

5.       Article 2, Special Town Meeting

• This is a “technical” amendment to an article voted at a prior town meeting.  The Conservation Commission will come in to explain.

6. Article 33 – Noise Bylaw

• Defines “Nuisance Noise.”  Regulates noise between 9 pm and 7 am weekday mornings, 8 am weekend mornings and puts more constraints on outdoor commercial activities during those times.
• Although the Selectmen are sponsoring this article, they have not taken a position on it.  (Go figure! ed.)

7. Article 34 – Noise Bylaw

· Makes technical correction to Article 10 of the Town Bylaws regarding penalties to the Noise Bylaws.

8. Article 33 – Noise Bylaw

• Goldberg: Article 33 is overly-broad

Motion to recommend indefinite postponement on Article 33:  5-3-0

Yes:    Goldberg, Miller, Rose, Sydney, Tuck

No:      Hearne, Heitin, Pietal

9. Article 34  - Noise Bylaw

Motion to recommend approval on Article 34:  8-0-0

Yes:    Goldberg, Hearne, Heitin, Miller, Pietal, Rose, Sydney, Tuck

10.      Article 25 – Standing Building Committee

• Pietal: Spoke to SBC Chair Joel Wolk.  SBC can do projects in 8 weeks, would not turn projects down because they are “not interesting.”
• Hearne: Also spoke to Wolk.  The SBC does not want to give political judgment; they have “a-political objectives.”
• Pietal:  The School Dept now has a person competent to manage construction projects, but not all departments do.  SBC has people who can do that.
• Hearne:  The SBC can delegate authority to another committee in town (like the school committee).
• Sydney: This is an issue of fiscal control
• Goldberg: It’s a system of checks and balances.

Motion to recommend indefinite postponement on Article 25:  9-0-0

Yes:    Goldberg, Hearne, Heitin, Hitter, Miller, Pietal, Rose, Sydney, Tuck

11.     Article 22 – Community Preservation Act

Motion to recommend approval on Article 22:  3-3-3

Motion Defeated

Yes:                Goldberg, Hearne, Tuck

No:                  Pietal, Miller, Sydney,

Abstain:         Heitin, Hitter, Rose

• Heitin: wants to wait until G Bailey gets back with additional information.

12.     Article 5 – the Budget

Motion to approve Article 5 made and seconded.

• Pietal noted several changes in the Budget recap:

Debt & Interest                      $1,859,413          increase of $60,000

Vocational Technical School          $73,658

Fixed & Uncontrollable total     $15,524,502

Total Town budget                $52,784,595

Water                                   $3,521,815

Motion to approve Article 5 withdrawn.

Meeting adjourned at 10:05 p.m.