Finance Committee Meeting
Minutes – November 22, 2004
High School Library – 7:30 P.M.
Members Present: Brian Fitzgerald, Charles Goodman, Jonathan Hitter, Ira Miller, Paul
Pietal, Gregory Sydney, Kenneth Goldberg (late), (Hamilton)
Absent: Michael Feldman, David Fixler, David Hearne, Gloria Rose
1. A joint meeting with the Personnel Board, Len Sacon, Chair; Ed Connelly, and Greg Sydney (also a Finance Committee member) in attendance regarding roles of the Personnel Board vs. roles of the Finance Committee.
2. Paul Pietal: We are trying to get an understanding on the table to better prepare for the Town Meeting how each committee can help each other without contention. We would iron out all details beforehand. I’m not sure whether we are in violation of open committee meeting. We have members missing tonight, but we have a quorum. Two members from the Personnel Board are not here.
3. Len Sacon stated the duties and procedures of the Personnel Board. They are responsible as a board to see By-laws properly administered and to review the salary recommendation of the Selectmen in regard to Executive salaries. If we concur, we do nothing. If we don’t, we make comment at Town Meeting. It is not commonly done to make comments. The process we go through is fairly lengthy and takes several meetings. It begins by Selectmen sending a letter or memo to which they make their recommendation. And an indication that the salaries are within the budget which means they have been talking to the Finance Committee. They would have to come back to Personnel Board with new recommendation if budget is changed. There are performance reviews for all Executives. Personnel Board came up with a performance review with quantitative and qualitative items that are internally consistent.
4. Paul Pietal: We will start reviewing budgets and spend the next 2-2 1/2 months, look at each department holistically, then make recommendations for Town Meeting where we sometimes struggle on the salary part. But last year was a landmark event. A more comprehensive outlook could help the Personnel Board.
5. Much discussion followed regarding what each committee’s duties are and how they are performed.
6. Continued discussion regarding salaries, percentage of increases, and evaluation of comparable towns’ salaries.
7. Sacon: Any information that the Finance Committee can provide to us would be more than welcome. We meet the second Thursday of the month and these meetings are open.
8. Pietal: We will see if we can provide Personnel Board more information.
9. OTHER BUSINESS
10. The next Priorities Committee Meeting is Thursday, December 2.
11. Ira Miller reported on the last Priorities Committee meeting regarding the Five-year Revenue Projections. One of main issues was the splitting of the pie. How to split amongst the sectors, percentage may change and why they are that way. Discussion of the maintenance of fields and whether that should be taken out of the school budget. Also the maintenance of buildings and how they will be paid for.
12. Jonathan Hitter reported on the Capital Outlay meeting. Discussion regarding a town-wide capital maintenance program. There was some concern from the BOS due to grounds and forests losing funding in prior years, which impacted their delivery of services. This should be open for ongoing discussion. The next meeting is December 6. On the agenda will be the school department’s capital requests. Their requests are $3,000,000+, for the roof and HVAC.
13. Pietal: Have started to receive budgets back. Do not need Personnel Board to come back in. Planning Board budget is simple. There are a subset of budgets that are straight forward. Board of Health, Library, Town Clerk should come in.
14. Some discussion on minutes of November 8.
15. MOVED and SECONDED to accept the minutes of November 8.
16. VOTED: 5-0-2.
17. The next meeting will be November 29 for budget review.
18. MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.
19. VOTED: 7-0-0.
20. Meeting adjourned at 9:05 P.M.