Finance Committee Meeting

Minutes – April 28, 2006

School Administration Building, 7:30 P.M.

Members Present:  Joel Alpert, Maria Anderson, Michael Feldman, Brian Fitzgerald,

                               Charles Goodman, Jonathan Hitter, Joel Lessard, Ira Miller, Gloria

                               Rose, Gregory Sydney (Hamilton)

                Absent:   Kenneth Goldberg

1. This is the 29^th meeting of this fiscal year.

2. Chuck Goodman thanked all members of the Finance Committee for coming to meetings and giving their opinions.

3. There was discussion on Warrant articles that were not voted on.

4. The first item was Collective Bargaining on the Special Meeting.  Since this was now public information it can be discussed.  The departments that have agreed were the middle management group and the AFSCME group of Public Works.  The amounts will be in the Warrant, approximately $60,000.  Some changes in the health care.  Increasing co-payment.  Increase in the split for new hires.

5. There was much discussion on Article 1 of the Special Town Meeting.

6. Ben Puritz gave a presentation on the background and what had taken place regarding Article 1.

7. There was continued discussion on bringing these groups to parity.

8. A MOTION was made by Brian Fitzgerald and SECONDED by Joel Alpert to table.

9. VOTED:  3-7-0.  For:  Alpert, Anderson, Fitzgerald.  Against:  Feldman, Goodman, Hitter, Lessard, Miller, Rose, Sydney.

10. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Gloria Rose to approve Article 1 for $60,000.

11. VOTED:  6-3-1.  For:  Feldman, Goodman, Hitter, Miller, Rose, Sydney.  Against:  Alpert, Anderson, Fitzgerald.  Abstain:  Lessard.

12. ARTICLE 2.  Wilber School Abatement/Stabilization

13. Chuck Goodman stated that there is a sum there now in the first paragraph used in the amount of $290,000.  We had a number under Special Town Meeting in November of $750,000.  $290,000 gets it up to $1,040,000.  This is to stabilize the Wilber School, remove hazardous waste and asbestos.  Abatement cost keeps going up.  The article is changing.  There is nothing to be said about demolition.  Second paragraph being removed.

14. David Grasfield stated that the Town can’t borrow for demolition.

15. There was discussion regarding this article that the building was in a Historic District.

16. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Ira Miller to approve Article 2 in the amount of $290,000.

17. VOTED:  9-0-1.  For:  Alpert, Feldman, Fitzgerald, Goodman, Hitter, Lessard, Miller, Rose, Sydney.  Abstain:  Anderson.

18. ARTICLE 4.  Personnel By-law.  This sets forth the hourly wages for the ’07 fiscal year.  Personnel Board approved it.

19. There was discussion on this article.

20. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Gloria Rose to approve Article 4 as written.

21. VOTED:  7-2-1.  For:  Feldman, Goodman, Hitter, Lessard, Miller, Rose, Sydney.  Against:  Alpert, Fitzgerald.  Abstain:  Anderson.

22. ARTICLE 5.  Budget/Compensation of Elected Officers.  Appropriation for FY’05 in Warrant.  Three options.  Option A was what was recommended to departments by Priorities.  Option A with Override is same except Schools are asking for Proposition 2.5% override, $934,000.  Option B was prepared by the Finance Committee and takes ’06 salaries as adjusted and adds 2.5% to it.

23. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Gloria Rose to approve Option A under Article 5.

24. There was much discussion on the motion.

25. VOTED:  Option A.  7-1-2.  For:  Feldman, Goodman, Hitter, Lessard, Miller, Rose, Sydney.  Against:  Fitzgerald.  Abstain:  Alpert, Anderson.

26. ARTICLE 10.  Public Works – Streets & Sidewalks.

27. Jon Hitter stated what the overall summary was at Capital last night.  Summary of Wilber School, can’t vote for Sacred Heart.  Can’t borrow any money for demolition.  The Community Center, the $8.9 million appropriated at Fall Town Meeting, the low bid was $1.4 million higher than the $8.9 bid.  To get within Capital’s purview to not ask for debt exclusion.  On Article 10 which is the roads, what was being requested was $550,000.  What happened is that has been reduced to $350,000.  Roads reduced $200,000.  Avalon Bay going to pay for light on intersection on Route 27.  By them paying for that it frees up $400,000, Chapter 90.  Can use $400,000 plus $200,000 to pay for that.

28. ARTICLE 11.  Public Works – Sacred Heart.  Freed up $250,000.  Freed up $1 million.  Going to be used to finance the $1.4 million gap.  $400,000 difference going to be taken off top of Capital from cash flow standpoint.

29. ARTICLE 20.  Community Center.  Is a placeholder to appropriate $1.4 million, $1 million to come from this year and $400,000 from next year.

30. There was discussion held on these articles.

31. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Joel Alpert to reconsider vote on Article 10.

32. VOTED:  10-0-0.

33. Jon Hitter summarized the three article changes:  Article 10 roads were reduced $200,000 from $400,000.  Article 11 reduced from $250,000 to zero.  Special Meeting Article 2 was reduced by $560,000.  All this money is coming from Capital.  Take $1, 010,000 and adding to Community Center.  Coming out of three articles to go into Article 20.  $1.4 million.  $1,010,000 coming from this year.  $390,000 from next year.

34. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Maria Anderson that the amount in Article 10 for the DPW be $350,000, $200,000 for roads and $150,000 for sidewalks.

35. VOTED:  9-0-1.  For:  Alpert, Feldman, Fitzgerald, Goodman, Hitter, Lessard, Miller, Rose, Sydney.  Abstain:  Anderson.

36. ARTICLE 11.  Sacred Heart.  Indefinite Postponement.

37. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Gloria Rose that Article 20 in the amount of $1.4 million which will be $59,155 which will be transferred from previous appropriation in May, $1,350,845 reduced by $59,155 by a total borrowing of $1,350,845.

38. VOTED:  4-5-1.  For:  Goodman, Hitter, Miller, Rose.  Against:  Alpert, Anderson, Feldman, Lessard, Sydney.  Abstain:  Fitzgerald.

39. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Greg Sydney for indefinite postponement of Article 20.

40. There was discussion on the motion.

41. VOTED:  6-4-0.  For:  Alpert, Anderson, Feldman, Fitzgerald, Lessard, Sydney.  Against:  Goodman, Hitter, Miller, Rose.

42. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Joel Alpert for indefinite postponement of Article 18.  Previously voted for indefinite postponement on April 11, 2006.

43. ARTICLE 19.  King Philip Estates.

44. A MOTION was made by Jon Hitter and SECONDED by Michael Feldman for indefinite postponement of Article 19.

45. VOTED:  8-1-1.  For:  Alpert, Anderson, Feldman, Hitter, Lessard, Miller, Rose, Sydney.  Against:  Goodman.  Abstain:  Fitzgerald.

46. ARTICLE 23.  Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

47. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Maria Anderson for indefinite postponement of Article 23.

48. VOTED:  9-1-0.  For:  Alpert, Anderson, Feldman, Fitzgerald, Goodman, Lessard, Miller, Rose, Sydney.  Against:  Hitter.

49. Gordon Gladstone, Chair, Standing Building Committee, spoke on Article 20 to give information for the Finance Committee to reconsider their vote and also stated his disappointment in bidding results and with the Cost Estimator on this project.

50. A MOTION was made by Ira Miller and SECONDED by Jon Hitter to reconsider Article 20.

51. VOTED:  3-6-1.  For:  Hitter, Miller, Rose.  Against:  Alpert, Anderson Feldman, Fitzgerald, Lessard, Sydney.  Abstain:  Goodman.

52. ARTICLE 37.  Revolving Funds.  To discuss at the next meeting.

53. The next meeting will be Monday, May 1.

54. It was MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.

55. VOTED:  10-0-0.

56. The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 p.m.