Finance Committee Meeting
Minutes – April 3, 2006
School Administration Building, 7:30 P.M.
Members Present: Joel Alpert, Maria Anderson, Michael Feldman, Brian Fitzgerald,
Kenneth Goldberg, Jonathan Hitter, Joel Lessard, Ira Miller, Gloria
Rose, Gregory Sydney (Hamilton)
Absent: Charles Goodman
1. This is the 25th meeting of this fiscal year. The first item on the agenda was to discuss the salary of the Assessors.
2. Mark Mazur, Administrative Assessor, explained the responsibilities and educational requirements of the Assessors. He also explained the history of the Assessors salary.
3. Ellen Wolfson Abelson, a member of the Board of Assessors, also explained the educational requirements and the time involved in taking the courses.
4. There was much discussion regarding the responsibilities, educational requirements, salaries of the Assessors and benefits to the town.
5. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Gloria Rose to approve the Assessors budget as presented there with a flat budget.
6. There was discussion on the motion.
7. VOTED: 5-4-1. For: Anderson, Hitter, Lessard, Miller, Rose. Against: Feldman, Fitzgerald, Goldberg, Sydney. Abstain: Alpert.
8. There was some discussion regarding the abstention vote. This was going to be checked with a legal authority.
9. Next on the agenda were the Warrant articles.
10. ARTICLE 3. Government Study Committee Dissolution.
11. Gloria Rose stated that the Government Study Committee made various recommendations such as two Town Meetings. One in the Fall for Planning Board articles. Only hold two consecutive nights. Hold over for following week. Recommending to have committee disbanded and adopt By-laws under Home Rule.
12. There was discussion held on this article with the decision to hold for more information from the Government Study chairman.
13. Next ARTICLES 4 and 5, Personnel By-law and Budgets, which will be held until Wednesday night for discussion and vote.
14. ARTICLE 12. Public Works – Vehicles & Equipment.
15. Discussion was held on this article.
16. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Greg Sydney to approve Article 12.
17. VOTED: 6-0-4. For: Anderson, Goldberg, Hitter, Miller, Rose, Sydney. Abstain: Alpert, Feldman, Fitzgerald, Lessard.
18. ARTICLE 18. Horizons for Youth Land Acquisition.
19. After discussion on this article, the committee still needed more information.
20. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Jon Hitter to give recommendation at Town Meeting.
21. VOTED: 10-0-0.
22. ARTICLE 19. King Philip Estates. Same action as on Article 18.
23. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Jon Hitter to give recommendation at Town Meeting.
24. VOTED: 10-0-0.
25. ARTICLES 20, 21, 22. Community Center Reconstruction, Middle School Roof, Middle School HVAC.
26. There was much discussion held on these three articles. It was suggested that more information could be obtained from Maureen Doherty of the Standing Building Committee.
27. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Jon Hitter to defer any recommendation unless we have number and give recommendation at Town Meeting.
28. VOTED: 9-0-1. For: Alpert, Anderson, Feldman, Goldberg, Hitter, Lessard, Miller, Rose, Sydney. Abstain. Fitzgerald.
29. ARTICLE 23. Sharon Affordable Housing.
30. Joel Alpert reported that this article is to develop an authority or trust fund for the town to maintain low cost housing. Develop funds from various mechanisms. These funds would be unavailable for the town to use in any other manner and would be solely available to the trustees to use for affordable housing. The rest is how it would be chosen and how it would work.
31. There was discussion held on this article.
32. A MOTION was made by Brian Fitzgerald and SECONDED by Joel Alpert to defer our recommendation until Town Meeting.
33. VOTED: 10-0-0.
34. ARTICLE 25. Tax Deferral Program – Senior Relief.
35. There was discussion held on this article and then a suggestion was made to get more information and vote on Wednesday.
36. ARTICLE 26. Community Preservation Act Funding.
37. There was discussion held on this article regarding a request for $6,000.
38. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Maria Anderson to adopt the write-up that requests $6,000.
39. VOTED: 10-0-0.
40. ARTICLE 34. Stormwater By-law Amendment.
41. There was discussion held on this article regarding improvements to the existing language.
42. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Michael Feldman to accept Article 34 as written.
43. VOTED: 9-0-1. For: Alpert, Anderson, Feldman, Fitzgerald, Goldberg, Lessard, Miller, Rose, Sydney. Abstain: Hitter.
44. ARTICLE 37. Revolving Funds.
45. To be held until end for accounting.
46. ARTICLE 38. Board of Health Fines.
47. The main reason for this article is to allow a mechanism of non-criminal issuance of citation not going to court.
48. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Michael Feldman to approve Article 38 as written.
49. VOTED: 9-0-1. For: Alpert, Anderson, Feldman, Fitzgerald, Goldberg, Hitter, Miller, Rose, Sydney. Abstain: Lessard.
50. Special Town Meeting. ARTICLE 2. Wilber School Abatement/Stabilization/Demolition.
51. There was considerable discussion on this article especially regarding costs involved on both the Wilber School and the Sacred Heart building.
52. A suggestion was made to defer final recommendation until Town Meeting, but would write historical background for the Warrant regarding the Wilber School.
53. There was discussion regarding Sacred Heart and the issue of its being a public safety hazard and a public nuisance.
54. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Gloria Rose to reconsider vote on Article 11.
55. Discussion was held on the motion.
56. VOTED: 2-8-0. For: Hitter, Rose. Against: Alpert, Anderson, Feldman, Fitzgerald, Goldberg, Lessard, Miller, Sydney.
57. Discussion continued regarding direct purchases, capital borrowing, and new revenue estimate.
58. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, April 5, at Town Hall.
59. It was MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.
60. VOTED: 10-0-0.
61. The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 p.m.