Finance Committee Meeting

Minutes – April 25, 2005

Sharon High School Library – 7:30 P.M.

 

Members Present:  Michael Feldman, Brian Fitzgerald, David Fixler (late), Kenneth

                               Goldberg, Charles Goodman, David Hearne (late), Jonathan Hitter

                              (late), Ira Miller, Paul Pietal, Gloria Rose, Gregory Sydney

 

 

  1. Prior to the Open Warrant Meeting at 8 P.M., there was discussion on some previous Minutes.

 

  1. A MOTION was made by Charles Goodman and SECONDED by Ira Miller to accept the Minutes of March 14, 2005.

 

  1. VOTE:  6-0-2.

 

  1. A MOTION was made by Ira Miller and SECONDED by Gloria Rose to accept the Minutes of March 28, 2005.

 

  1. VOTE:  7-0-1.

 

  1. A MOTION was made by Gloria Rose and SECONDED by Charles Goodman to accept the Minutes of April 4, 2005.

 

  1. VOTE:  7-0-1.

 

  1. A MOTION was made by Charles Goodman and SECONDED by Ira Miller to accept the Minutes of April 11, 2005.

 

  1. VOTE:  7-0-1.

 

  1. A MOTION was made by Charles Goodman and SECONDED by Gloria Rose to accept the Minutes of March 21, 2005.

 

  1. VOTE:  5-0-3.

 

  1. The Town Meeting is next Monday, May 2, at 7:00 P.M.  Finance Committee meeting at 6:00 P.M. in the High School Library.  Tomorrow night is pre-Town Meeting.  This is a procedural walkthrough.  The Moderator runs that meeting at 8:15 P.M. in the Selectmen’s Office.

 

  1. OPEN WARRANT SESSION

 

  1. ARTICLE 1:  Choosing three more members of Finance Committee.  Recommendation will be at Town Meeting.  Pietal, Fixler, and Hearne leaving.  Sydney re-upping.  Total of five seats available.

 

  1. ARTICLE 2:  Act upon the reports and to act thereon.  Pro forma.

 

  1. ARTICLE 3:  Sharon Friends School Fund.  Pro forma.

 

  1. ARTICLE 4:  Personnel By-law.  Department Head salaries.

 

  1. ARTICLE 5:  Budgets.  Fincom split 5-5.  It is a challenging budget.  Going to recommend either Option A, 6.17% increase, or Option B, 5.7% increase, on pages 50 and 51.

 

  1. ARTICLE 6:  Norfolk County Retirement.  $1,391,191, decrease.

 

  1. ARTICLE 7:  Annual Audit.  $46,000, increase over last year which was $40,000.

 

  1. ARTICLE 8:  Unemployment.  Money set aside, $75,000.

 

  1. ARTICLE 9:  Rattlesnake Hill.  No recommendation.  This probably won’t be proceeding at next Monday’s meeting.  Probably in the Fall.  Town voted for $7,500,000.  State not putting in any money.

 

  1. ARTICLE 10:  Capital Outlay.  Design money for Community Center.  Total amount, $947,176.  Looking at several options to redo Community Center and get back on line.

 

  1. Jonathan Hitter stated:  $947,000 for the design for Option B which is a full gutting of the building and putting in services for Seniors.  Total cost will be $8.54 million.  It is the second most expensive option.

 

  1. ARTICLE 11:  Capital Outlay.  Repair for Town Hall Roof.  The amount of $35,000.  It’s leaking.

 

  1. ARTICLE 12:  Capital Outlay for School Department.  Voted 6-4 in favor.  What is in the Warrant is a reduced amount.

 

  1. ARTICLE 13:  Capital Outlay.  Overruns on Cottage Street School projects and punch list.  Total $481,000.  $256,000 cost overrun, $225,000 for additional items to be completed.

 

  1. ARTICLE 14:  Completion of construction project at East Elementary.  It is on the Warrant but will not be discussed at this Town Meeting.

 

  1. ARTICLE 15:  Capital Outlay.  Borrowing by DPW.  $175,000 for DPW equipment and $30,000 for entire town wide borrowing cost.

 

  1. ARTICLE 16:  Fire Department capital requests for $143,500.  Ambulance, $125,000; jaws of life extraction tools, $18,500.  Reallocations are amounts that were borrowed.

 

  1. ARTICLE 17:  Police Department capital requests, $98,000.

 

  1. ARTICLE 18:  Capital Outlay.  Data processing head end.  Needed to up date.

 

  1. ARTICLE 19:  Capital Outlay.  New van for Animal Control Officer.  Voted 6-4 for Indefinite Postponement.

 

  1. ARTICLE 20:  Stabilization Fund.  Discussed by Priorities and voted to make effort every year to have money available.  Voted 8-2 in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 21:  Norfolk County Regional Fire & Rescue Dispatch Center.  $50,000 to allow all Firefighters to go out on call.  Voted 9-1 for Indefinite Postponement.  Reversed vote in favor, 9-0-1.

 

  1. ARTICLE 22:  Cellular study to find dead spots in town to plan for cell towers in town, $20,000.  Voted 9-0 in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 23:  Funding of study of what to do with facilities maintenance in town.  Need to know what to budget for maintenance.  $18,000.  Voted 10-0 in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 24:  Change the make-up of Standing Building Committee to add one more member from the sponsoring project.  The SBC present to Board of Selectmen.  Voted 7-3 for Indefinite Postponement.

 

  1. ARTICLE 25:  Petition Article from Marlene Budd to increase Selectmen from 3 to 5 members.  Communication issue.  Voted Indefinite Postponement, 9-0.

 

  1. ARTICLE 26:  Board of Selectmen.  Sr. Citizen tax exemption reducing minimum age from 65 to 60.  Maximum income $60,000.  Voted 10-0 in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 27:  Board of Selectmen.  Exempt Volunteer Work-off Program.  Goes from $750 to $1,000.  This is successful program in town.  Voted 10-0 in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 28:  Veterans Article.  Voted 10-0 in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 29:  Planning Board.  Change to flexible development will not be brought forward at Town Meeting.

 

  1. ARTICLE 30:  Planning Board.  Change of Subdivision Design.

 

  1. Explanation of article was presented by Planning Board members, Gina Maniscalco and Arnold Cohen.

 

  1. ARTICLE 31:  Planning Board.  Change to mixed Use Overlay District—MUOD.  Sharon Heights, Shaw’s Plaza and Wilbur School.  Need to include Business District A, B, and C.  Even those in groundwater protection.

 

  1. Explanation by members of Board of Health, Susan Peck and Anne Bingham.

 

  1. ARTICLE 32:  Planning Board.  Change Business District A & B only.  Directed to Wilbur School.  This is the only property in town in the business district.

 

  1. Discussion was held by Planning Board members and two candidates for Planning Board.

 

  1. ARTICLE 33:  Petition by Charles Rendino.  Change to the Conservation Subdivision By-Law on property values.  Voted 6-2-2 for Indefinite Postponement.  Voted 4-0 for Indefinite Postponement by Planning Board.

 

  1. ARTICLE 34:  Petition by Michael Jacobs.  Change to flexible development not to increase the traffic safety crossing streets.

 

  1. Gina Maniscalco stated that the Planning Board voted 4-0 not to recommend.  We do traffic planning on everything.  More traffic from age-qualified.  Need more discussion.

 

  1. ARTICLE 35:  Petition by Wayne Bradley.  Change to Conservation Subdivision Design to address buffer space for abutters.

 

  1. Discussion followed on this article.  The Planning Board had voted 4-0 against this.

 

  1. ARTICLE 36:  Petition by Gerald Wine.  Modify CSD.  The zoning classifications.

 

  1. There was discussion on this article.  The Planning Board had voted against this.

 

  1. ARTICLE 37:  Initiative to name Community Center after Frank Sullivan.  Last Spring we named the grounds after Mr. Sullivan.  An oversight not to include the building.  The Historical Commission naming after Frank Sullivan.  Voted 7-1-2 in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 38:  Naming of a small park the Doris Annis Park.  She founded Sharon Militia.  Voted 6-2-2 in favor.  Board of Selectmen in favor.  Historical Commission is to name things.  Not in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 39:  Board of Health.  Attempt number three.  Passed last May but had problem with Attorney General.  Not proper fees.  Voted 8-1-1 in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 40:  Board of Health.  Pooper Scooper Regulation.  Fines for those who don’t follow their dogs or pets.  Voted 8-2 in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 41:  Board of Selectmen.  Septic.  $21,725 transfer of funds.  Voted 10-0 in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 42:  Omnibus Revolving Fund.  Voted 8-0-2 in favor.

 

  1. ARTICLE 43:  Board of Selectmen.  Chapter 90 Funds for Highway Projects.  Voted 10-0 in favor.

 

  1. Meeting went off the air at 10:55 P.M.  Meeting was to continue off camera.