Finance Committee Meeting

Minutes – February 7, 2005

High School Library – 7:30 P.M.

Members Present:  Michael Feldman, Brian Fitzgerald, David Fixler, Kenneth Goldberg,

                               Charles Goodman, David Hearne, Jonathan Hitter, Ira Miller, Paul

                               Pietal, Gloria Rose (Hamilton)

                Absent:   Gregory Sydney

1. The agenda included Mark Mazur representing the Board of Assessors regarding overlay information and continuing deliberations on the Library and Town Clerk’s budgets.

2. Discussion was held with Mark Mazur, who gave the background of the overlay, which is an amount raised each year that is part of the money set aside for abatements and exemptions.  This is done annually.  Every year whoever disagrees with the assessed value can file an application within thirty days of the first tax bill.  Court orders, exempt, elderly, disabled, veterans, certain State mandated programs that the town has options on comes out of overlay and work-off programs.  Money cannot be transferred from year to year.  Money that isn’t used is given back to the Town.  The amount needed must be available before Town Meeting.  Usually, the amount for a year is between $400,000 and $500,000, but because of several large Appellate Board tax cases and a number of personal property cases, the Board of Assessors wanted to increase the overlay to about $750,000.  The Board gives estimates for the overlay to the Selectmen that are continually being updated.

3. Mark Mazur will provide the Finance Committee with a copy of the estimate and a list of all Appellate Tax Board cases.

4. Continued discussion on Town Clerk’s budget.

5. Marlene Chused presented history of how her salary evolved from when she was elected as Town Clerk in 1999.  She responded to comments at a prior meeting by describing her duties and how she helps the citizens, saving the Town money, and bringing in increased revenue.  She is only looking for median, to be fair and equitable.

6. Fire Chief Dennis Mann spoke on behalf of Marlene Chused having worked with her in official capacity in which she is very professional.

7. Joe Roach, Chairman of Board of Selectmen also spoke on behalf of Marlene Chused describing his work with her on elections and has seen how her office is run.  He also commented on her being the only one who does bargaining in public whereas the Selectmen do theirs in Executive Session.

8. Paul Pietal stated that as far as Marlene’s budget goes, most of the questions were around salaries.  Performance is number 1.  Responsibilities are number 2.  Town Clerks all do elections and town meetings.  They have to do what is mandated.  Years of service in a particular job are number 3.  Eleven years as Assistant Town Clerk.  In 1999 became Town Clerk.  Comparables is number 4.  You don’t want to fall too far behind.  People are leaving positions.  That’s when comparables are important.

9. A MOTION was made by Ira Miller and SECONDED by David Fixler that we accept Town Clerk’s budget as presented with the contractual plus 3% for the Assistant Town Clerk and 8% for the Town Clerk.  The rest would be straight across from FY’05, 5.31%.

10. Discussion regarding the motion followed with consensus of seeing what Selectmen and schools are doing with their budgets.

11. To allow for evaluation of other departments and sectors salary increases before a final vote on the Town Clerk’s salary.  Ira Miller and David Fixler withdrew their motion and second.

12. Paul Pietal:  Defer for a week and see what the Board of Selectmen do.

13. Continued discussion on the Library budget.  The Library was represented by Barbra Nadler and Marcia Liebman.

14. Discussion of new director’s salary, which would be less than previous director, shortage of staff, physical condition of Library, Capital drainage project, leaking windows, job sharing, and the State mandates on the budget.

15. OTHER BUSINESS

16. Minutes will be discussed at another meeting.  Discussion on Guidelines for Internet Access which should be reviewed.

17. Ira Miller made a few changes in Town Report for this year and will submit to the Selectmen for publication.

18. The next meeting will take place on February 14, 2005.

19. MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.

20. VOTED:  10-0-0.

21. Meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m.

Open Action Items
Action Item	Responsible	Start	Due
Determine number of union contracts	Group	12/13/04	1/31/06
Analyze effect of union contracts on different departments and on budgets overall	Group	1/10/05	2/15/05
Develop a model for salary projections	Pietal and Grasfield to help out	1/10/05	3/31/05
Follow up ZBA budget for more concrete numbers	Pietal	1/31/05