Finance Committee Meeting
Minutes – April 5, 2006
Town Hall, Lower Level Hearing Room, 7:30 P.M.
Members Present: Joel Alpert, Maria Anderson, Brian Fitzgerald, Charles Goodman, Ira
Miller, Gloria Rose (Hamilton)
Absent: Michael Feldman, Kenneth Goldberg, Jonathan Hitter, Joel Lessard,
Gregory Sydney
1. This is the 26th meeting of this fiscal year.
2. The first item on the agenda was Warrant articles that had not been voted on.
3. ARTICLE 3. Government Study Committee Dissolution.
4. Gloria Rose stated that the Committee is charged to see how Town government is working; it was commissioned in 1990, and reinstated in 2001. Since that time it has made recommendations to help the running of the Town. Two Town Meetings. One in Fall for Planning Board articles and one in Spring for budgets. Established earlier meeting times and end at 11:00 p.m. Only two meetings each week. Looking to end and dissolve the committee.
5. Brian Fitzgerald reported that there will be a recommendation to create a Charter Commission. 2000 signatures have to be collected and verified, a vote at Town Meeting and also a ballot question before Charter Commission can be formed. May ’07 that question will appear on the ballot. They will have to elect nine people to sit on the Commission. They will create set of By-laws. Have 18 months to work on and then will be voted on by Town. It is a thought process to create such a Charter for Town.
6. There was continued discussion on this article.
7. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Gloria Rose to accept Article 3 as written.
8. VOTED: 6-0-0.
9. ARTICLE 18. Horizons for Youth Land Acquisition.
10. David Grasfield stated that Schools and Conservation Commission are sponsors of this article.
11. Ira Miller invited the members of the Conservation Commission and Schools to attend the next Finance Committee meeting.
12. ARTICLE 19. King Philip Estates
13. The Conservation Commission and Mr. Kurt Buermann were invited to attend the next meeting regarding Article 19.
14. Regarding Article 18, Horizons for Youth, Brian Fitzgerald stated that the Town is planning on leasing the administration building during the summer during the Community Center construction instead of trailers. The rent for Horizons is less than the $2,500 per month. He suggested they give up the trailers and move to the administration building at Horizons.
15. ARTICLE 20. Community Center Reconstruction.
16. ARTICLE 21. Middle School Roof. No additional funds.
17. ARTICLE 22. Middle School HVAC. No additional funds.
18. A MOTION was made by Gloria Rose and SECONDED by Joel Alpert for indefinite postponement of Article 21.
19. VOTED: 6-0-0.
20. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Gloria Rose for indefinite postponement of Article 22.
21. VOTED: 6-0-0.
22. ARTICLE 23. Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
23. ARTICLE 25. Tax Deferral Program – Senior Relief.
24. There was much discussion on this article.
25. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Maria Anderson to adopt interest rate of 3% for FY’07 in Article 25.
26. VOTED: 6-0-0.
27. SPECIAL TOWN MEETING, ARTICLE 2. Wilber School Abatement/Stabilization/Demolition.
28. There was discussion on this article regarding the Historic Commission’s position, the Building Inspector’s expected opinion, and the need for more information. No vote was taken.
29. ARTICLE 1. Collective Bargaining Agreements.
30. A suggestion was made to discuss Articles 4 and 5 first.
31. ARTICLES 4 and 5. Personnel By-law and Budgets/Compensation of Elected Officers.
32. Joel Alpert reported on his draft of Article 5 which looks at a 2.5% increase in salaries across the board except for Police and Fire which already have negotiated pay raises for ’07.
33. There was considerable discussion on this article, and a suggestion to submit an alternative budget option.
34. A MOTION was made by Brian Fitzgerald and SECONDED by Joel Alpert to put in the Warrant an alternative budget prepared by the Finance Committee that was presented tonight, as amended by Maria’s spreadsheet, and option on the override and the department budgets as proposed by the Finance Committee, Selectmen, and Schools.
35. There was much discussion on the motion stating the need to submit three budgets in the Warrant, namely, the Priorities plus the override amount, plus Option C discussed tonight
36. VOTED: 5-0-1. For: Alpert, Anderson, Fitzgerald, Goodman, Miller. Abstain: Rose.
37. ARTICLE 4. Personnel By-law.
38. There was discussion on this article with a decision to hold on the vote.
39. Ira Miller stated that this concludes the review. Defer Articles 18, 19, 23, 37, 4. Some we withheld our recommendation. Inviting entire Finance Committee to attend Selectmen’s meeting on April 11 at 8:00 p.m. to review health insurance program.
40. OTHER BUSINESS
41. Chuck Goodman stated that the Executive Committee of the Finance Committee had received a communication from Selectman Heitin regarding a proposed budget option prepared by Joel Alpert.
42. Ira Miller stated that all Selectmen were invited to attend this meeting because we wanted to do a new approach to try to deal with the situation of an override looming. It would have been a collaboration.
43. Chuck Goodman further stated that we represent the interests of the taxpayers in this town. We don’t represent any particular group. We represent taxpayers. We’re appointed by a committee.
44. David Grasfield stated that there are many topics that Chairs speak for their committees. Personal communications is not among them. It has not been a topic of consideration. I have spent time around this table and a desk upstairs. Many people watch these shows. Whether they vote with you or against you, they greatly expect and depend on a rational approach to the town business. Keep it up.
45. Ira Miller announced that next Monday, April 10, there will be a Priorities meeting. Also Pre-Town Meeting is Thursday, April 27, in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room.
46. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m.
47. It was MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.
48. The meeting was adjourned at 10:45 p.m.
49. VOTED: 6-0-0.