Finance Committee Meeting

Minutes – May 2, 2006

Sharon High School Library, 6:00 P.M.

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

                               (late), Kenneth Goldberg, Charles Goodman, Jonathan Hitter, Joel

                               Lessard, Ira Miller, Gloria Rose (Hamilton)

                Absent:   Gregory Sydney

1. This is the 31^st meeting of this fiscal year.

2. There was considerable discussion regarding ARTICLE 5, Budgets.

3. Chuck Goodman stated that the Reserve Fund is going to be reduced and certain other line item departments are going to be increased so that the net overall effect on the budget total number is zero.  The reason for line items that have to do with the Special Meeting.  Approximately $60,000 voted on in the Special Meeting was not included in the ’07 budget line item.

4. Ira Miller stated that the base of the line item was not adjusted.  The Finance Committee did not want to include in the budget until voted on and it wasn’t voted on until the Special Meeting.

5. There was a recap on the Warrant articles and Finance Committee vote as follows:

6. ARTICLE 6 which is the various funds.  The Committee voted 9-0-1.

7. ARTICLE 7, Norfolk County Retirement.  Vote, 10-0-0.

8. ARTICLE 8, Annual Audit.  Vote, 10-0-0.

9. ARTICLE 9, Unemployment.  Vote, 10-0-0.

10. ARTICLE 10, Streets & Sidewalks.  This is changed from the Warrant.  It is going to be $350,000 instead of $550,000.  Vote, 9-0-1 on April 28, 2006.

11. ARTICLE 11, Sacred Heart Demolition.  Indefinite Postponement, 7-3-0.

12. ARTICLE 12, Vehicles & Equipment.  Vote, 6-0-4.

13. ARTICLE 13, School Committee.  Vote, 9-0-1.

14. ARTICLE 14, Fire.  Vote, 10-0-0.

15. ARTICLE 15, Police.  Vote, 10-0-0.

16. ARTICLE 16, Civil Defense.  Vote, 5-2-3 for equipment.  Someone else will call for amendment for $10,000 for radio.  We’re calling it department equipment.  Somebody can speak why we’re voting $10,000.

17. ARTICLE 17, Library.  Vote, 8-1-1.

18. ARTICLE 18, Horizons for Youth.  Indefinite Postponement, 6-0-0.

19. ARTICLE 19, King Philip Rock.  Indefinite postponement, 8-1-1.

20. ARTICLE 20, Community Center Reconstruction.  Indefinite postponement, 6-4-0.  Additional amount for Community Center.  There is going to be an amendment for $1.4 million.  We voted on April 28.

21. ARTICLE 21, Middle School Roof.  Indefinite Postponement, 6-0-0.

22. ARTICLE 22, Middle School HVAC.  Indefinite Postponement, 6-0-0.

23. ARTICLE 23, Affordable Housing Trust Fund.  Indefinite Postponement, 9-1-0.  That is going to be amended if anybody wants to speak on it.

24. ARTICLE 24, Veterans’ Exemption.  Vote, 8-0-2.

25. ARTICLE 25, Tax Deferral Program - Senior Relief.  Vote, 6-0-0.

26. ARTICLE 26, CPA Act Funding.  Vote, 10-0-0.  Administrative expenses.  Voted $6,000.  Can’t vote percentage.  Has to be fixed amount.

27. ARTICLE 27, Amend CPA Act.  Vote, 10-0-0.

28. ARTICLE 28, Leases in P.O. Square.  Vote, 10-0-0.

29. ARTICLE 29, Library Walkway Lease.  Vote, 10-0-0.

30. ARTICLE 30, Change to Sign By-law.  Vote, 7-0-3.

31. ARTICLE 31, Data Re-inspection, Board of Assessors.  Vote, 8-0-2.

32. ARTICLE 32, Dog Licensing Rates.  Vote, 8-2-0.  The amendment on this would be to indefinite postponement or vote it down.

33. ARTICLE 33, Mandatory Leash Law – Fees.  Vote, 10-0-0.

34. ARTICLE 34, Storm Water By-law Amendment.  Vote, 9-0-1.  The Town Engineer will talk about it.

35. ARTICLE 35, By-law Change, Waste Containers.  Vote, 7-0-3.

36. ARTICLE 36, Historical Commission – Carriage House.  Vote, 9-0-1.

37. ARTICLE 37, Revolving Funds.  We have to vote on Revolving Funds.

38. ARTICLE 38, Board of Health – Non-Criminal Disposition – Fines.  Vote, 9-0-1.  Code violations.

39. A MOTION was made by Jonathan Hitter and SECONDED by Gloria Rose to approve Article 37 as written.

40. There was much discussion on the motion.

41. VOTED:  5-3-2.  For:  Goodman, Hitter, Lessard, Miller, Rose.  Against:  Alpert, Feldman, Fitzgerald.  Abstain:  Anderson, Goldberg.

42. A MOTION was made by Ira Miller and SECONDED by Jonathan Hitter to approve the changes as read by Chuck Goodman to reflect the vote of Article 1 at the Special Town Meeting last night.

43. There was discussion on the motion.

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

45. A MOTION was made by Ira Miller and SECONDED by Gloria Rose to accept the new figures for budget Option A, Article 5 changes for the Library, $12,499; insurance decrease, $56,440; Reserve Fund decrease, $16,059.

46. VOTED:  10-0-0.

47. It was MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.

48. VOTED:  10-0-0.

49. The meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m.