Finance Committee Meeting

Minutes – February 11, 2008

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

Members Present:  Joel Alpert, Maria Anderson, Brian Fitzgerald (late), Gordon

                               Gladstone, Charles Goodman, Josh Kiernan, Joel Lessard, Ira Miller,

                               Edward Philips (Hamilton)

               Absent:   Jonathan Hitter, Laura Nelson, Gregory Sydney

1. The first item on the agenda was to review the Conservation Commission budget.  Peg Arguimbau and Greg Meister made the presentation.

2. Discussion was held regarding the three budget scenarios.  The Conservation Commission explained the necessity for flexibility when opportunities came up.  They put one revolving fund into line item in the budget and suggested $25,000 to be put into a conservation trust annually which can be used for land acquisition, title search, and appraisals.  They also discussed expected revenues from Brickstone and Sharon Commons, but there was no time frame on when the money will come.

3. There was some discussion regarding Capital Outlay request for Camp Gannett and the Piona land and whether the Conservation Commission felt Capital Outlay would vote favorably on their request.  Capital Outlay meeting will be March 6.  Also discussed if the Capital Outlay wasn’t favorable, the Selectmen have a placeholder of two articles on the Warrant.

4. There was considerable discussion regarding putting money in the budget as line items to show costs, but if it’s a trust, it can carry over if any money is left over.  If it’s a line item, it goes into free cash.

5. Greg Meister stated that this trust can only be used for interest in land.  Expenditures relating to that.  It is a restricted slush fund dealing with land acquisition.

6. Chuck Goodman questioned if the Conservation Commission had trust funds or revenue funds.  If you put money in a special revenue fund, you don’t lose it.  A trust fund has its own bank account.  A special revenue fund does not.

7. Greg Meister stated that we get interest on the Conservation Trust.  He will check on wetland trust.  That is restricted to wetland protection.  We enforce Wetlands Protection Act.

8. There will be a meeting at the end of March to go over the report regarding what has been done at Cedar Swamp and what still needs to be done.

9. OLD BUSINESS

10. There was discussion regarding the expected revenues from Sharon Commons.

11. Ira Miller stated that Priorities was supposed to get a list of what revenues will come in.  The next meeting will be on February 28.  More information will then be available.  We might want to have reference material available to us.  We should generate a list of these items.

12. Joel Alpert reported on Priorities.  A lower projected amount of money because of Overlay.  Money for court case, $350,000, not to be available.  $168,000 decrease.  Decrease on claims for health which are raising the rate of revenue.

13. Chuck Goodman reported that there was a reduction on what the town receives back from the State Medicaid Office.

14. A MOTION was made by Ted Philips and SECONDED by Maria Anderson to approve the minutes of December 17, 2007.

15. VOTED:  8-0-1.  Abstain:  Fitzgerald.

16. A MOTION was made by Ted Philips and SECONDED by Maria Anderson to approve the minutes of January 28.

17. VOTED:  8-0-1.  Abstain:  Lessard.

18. NEW BUSINESS

19. Ira Miller reported that he had received information from one of our sector budgets.  Expected to receive sector budgets presented to Board of Selectmen as well as School budget.  On February 25 we will start our appointments.  Expect to meet almost every week.  Capital Outlay would like us to give up a Monday.  We will need to see what kind of Warrant articles and do some discussion on those.  In a Town Meeting action, the ballot question of a Charter Commission.  We might want to weigh in on that as a committee.

20. Ira Miller reported that there had been some discussion of cleaning out this facility at Town Hall and using for storage.  It has been offered to us to use the Selectmen’s office.  Not conducive to large group meeting.  Other choice new Recreation Center.  We might want to consider that.  The cable is set up for broadcast here not in Recreation Center.  It could be moved.  The issue is paying overtime when our meetings run long.  Advantage to be in Town Hall with other meetings going on.

21. The next meeting will be February 25.

22. It was MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.

23. VOTED:  9-0-0.

24. The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.