Minutes

Finance Committee Meeting

Minutes – March 21, 2005

Town Hall, Lower Level Hearing Room – 7:30 P.M.

Members Present: Brian Fitzgerald, David Fixler (late), Charles Goodman, David

Hearne, Jonathan Hitter, Ira Miller, Paul Pietal, Gloria Rose,

(Hamilton)

Absent: Michael Feldman, Kenneth Goldberg, Gregory Sydney

1. The first item on the agenda was the Insurance Budget Review. Present were Ben Puritz, Rob Uyttebroek, Rich Weiner of Weiner Insurance Company, and Peter Kenney, who represents the Health Plan Management Group. Two major components are health insurance and property and liability. Also present were the Board of Selectmen, Bill Heitin, Joe Roach, Chair, and David Grasfield.

2. Rich Weiner made a summary presentation on property and liability insurance. Overall about a 6.5 million program in terms of budget—approaching 6.59 million in the health area. There was a discussion on increases due to re-evaluation of property and types of liability insurance.

3. Peter Kenney stated a 12.5% increase was expected on health insurance. There was discussion on the amount for reserve account in order to cover costs incurred, but not reported and the need for a working deposit.

4. Next on the agenda was Capital Outlay for FY’06. Paul Linehan, Chairman, represented the Committee. There was discussion on the plan proposed by Sam Solomon, Budget Director for Northeastern, to pay all debts and a model was presented by Bill Heitin. Much discussion was held on saving money by not borrowing, using the operating budget, and which items could be postponed.

5. Paul Linehan reported the results of the Capital Outlay meeting as follows: (1) Animal Control vehicle replacement voted unanimously. (2) Board of Library Trustees project not advocated. No vote taken. Reallocation from library, $10,000 for computer technology. (3) East drainage project. East omitted items like playground equipment to be included. (4) Copy machine at Town Hall that does bulk of copies has over 1,000,000 copies. This was authorized. Town Hall roof, $35,000. This is original roof and has leaks. Asbestos on Wilber. (5) Wilber--$400,000 was placeholder. Civil Defense--$25,000. The individual borrowings were less than $10,000. It was an inappropriate bundling. To go back to Selectmen. (6) Data processing is number 1 priority. Voted unanimously. (7) Fire ambulance, $175,000. $50,000 reserve fund. Ambulance $125,000. Voted unanimously. Fire engine. Even out wear and tear on two engines. (8) Telephone system. Communications is high priority. Kitchen, steel building, boats and fire tanker. Reallocation. It wasn’t to be on Warrant. No additional dollars needed. (9) Without a maintenance management person, possibly not aware of what needs to be done. (10) Fire–kitchen, carport for 7, radio alarm for 10. Won’t be at the Town Meeting. (11) Police–Two vehicles, program replacement. The old vehicles will be recycled. Copier machines not presented. No vote. Motorcycle augmented, previously authorized. Moving headquarters to Wilber for Public Safety. Deferred. $108,000. Balance remaining. This involves removing the glass façade. (12) DPW department equipment–Two trucks, $80,000. $60,000 Bobcat eliminated. Three garage doors, $25,000. Carpet in break room. Total $205,000. (13) School Committee–Classroom furniture. Kitchen equipment. HVAC system. Computers programmatic—high school, middle school, and heights. HVAC and roof. Everything was deferred. A phased construction project while children in building. Detail from Maureen Doherty of the Standing Building Committee. This happened because no one to check infrastructure. Meet short term needs so infrastructure is deferred.

6. Bill Heitin reported there was a memo from Standing Building Committee stating what the two projects are. Could not defer anything further with the catastrophic disaster. Most of pipes are buried with asbestos.

7. Paul Linehan continued his report: (14) School security and communications–Doors and security items at school. The money goes for doors. It’s an annual request of $15,425. Goes for interior doors for closing automatically if fire, and doors that are broken, $30,000. (15) Parking lot–Didn’t advocate for that at the School Street building. Two SPED vans. More cost effective to purchase rather than lease. Standing Building Committee item. Cottage Street cost overrun. Negotiated settlement.

8. Paul Linehan stated the need for more details from the Standing Building Committee and the School Committee on the Cottage Street overrun. We deferred to the SBC. We cannot vote for this until there is a discussion as to why the town is paying the contractor this money.

9. OTHER BUSINESS

10. It was announced that Superintendent Hager of Southeastern Regional School District is to do a power point presentation. This Thursday there is a Personnel Board meeting with Department Head salaries at 7:30 at Town Hall.

11. There was a Priorities meeting last Wednesday. There was a Motion to spend 5.7%, $429,000 defeated, 4-2. Priorities on March 30 at 7 P.M. at High School Library as to where we stand on free cash and the advocacy of spending. The School voted a different figure. Voted against.

12. A suggestion was made that whatever recommendations that cannot be printed in the Warrant, to be published in the Sharon Advocate.

13. The next meeting will be on March 28.

14. MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.

15. VOTED: 8-0-0.

16. The meeting was adjourned at 11:10 P.M.

Open Action Item
Action Item	Responsible	Start	Due
Determine number of union contracts	Group	12/13/04	1/31/05
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