Finance Committee Meeting
Minutes – March 27, 2008
Sharon Community Center, Hearing Room – 7:30 P.M.
Members Present: Joel Alpert, Maria Anderson, Gordon Gladstone, Charles Goodman,
Josh Kiernan, Joel Lessard, Ira Miller, Edward Philips (Hamilton)
Absent: Brian Fitzgerald, Jonathan Hitter, Laura Nelson, Gregory Sydney
1. The first item on the agenda was an update on the Priorities meeting.
2. Joel Alpert reported that we went over the projected Revenue Forecast. We voted to fund the increase to two new policemen and four firefighters. Reallocate $12,000 to the Finance Committee sector to cover five hours a week for the Public Health Nurse and $1,700 for Conservation Commission. Not to reallocate any more to the School Committee nor to the Selectmen. It was the budget we have had plus the changes for the safety officers. The $322,000 that the Selectmen, as part of the override, decreased $191,000. The School Department can reallocate. The Priorities agreed that was a high priority to use that money for the Resource Officer.
3. Ira Miller reported that allows maintenance of service which puts back on the employees from the Water Department. Fund through the Priorities process. The $325,000 mitigation number would be put into a Stabilization Fund and not used. Funding $325,000 not being raised by the taxpayer. Coming from Brickstone.
4. There was some discussion on the Priorities report.
5. The next item on the agenda was the Finance Committee sector budgets.
6. Maria Anderson updated the budgets: Moderator, Town Clerk went up to $126.92. Conservation Commission went down. Took out $1,700 for camera. Lake Management same. Planning Board took down. ZBA same. Board of Health included both salary and expenses. $4,585. Added in $9,246 into salaries. That takes care of additional five hours.
7. Joel Alpert stated we are now $5,804 under our budget that would reduce the tax increase.
8. Ira Miller stated that one of the items we had mentioned in Priorities we felt was a legitimate expense. The need to have some flexibility for items that cannot be given a year in advance. A best case placeholder as it stands then. We did not fund it last year, but we can put in. Whether to use the funds now or use Reserve Fund.
9. There was some discussion regarding use of Revolving Fund for salaries.
10. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Joel Lessard to fund the Board of Health as presented to us a total of $284,054 including money from Waste Management.
11. VOTED: 7-1-0. For: Alpert, Anderson, Gladstone, Goodman, Kiernan, Lessard, Philips. Against: Miller.
12. The next item was the Conservation Commission budget.
13. There was discussion regarding the Conservation Commission budget and the Conservation Trust.
14. A MOTION was made by Chuck Goodman and SECONDED by Joel Alpert to return $1,774 back into Conservation Commission operating budget as line item as expenses to the land management.
15. There was some discussion on the motion.
16. VOTED: 5-2-1. For: Alpert, Gladstone, Goodman, Lessard, Miller. Against: Anderson, Philips. Abstain: Kiernan.
17. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Josh Kiernan to approve the budgets as presented to the Finance Committee sector with amendments, $430,380.
18. VOTED: 8-0-0.
19. There was discussion regarding the Conservation Commission and the need for additional funds from the Reserve Fund to pay for the Power Point presentation on Cedar Swamp and for field work to be done in the spring.
20. Chief Bernstein stated what the options were for having a School Resource Officer in place in September.
21. The next item was the school budget.
22. There was discussion held on the amount in the budget and the new allocations.
23. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Ted Philips to allocate in the recap, $33,279,262 to the School Department budget.
24. VOTED: 8-0-0.
25. The next item was the Selectmen Sector.
26. Ira Miller stated that we voted on Finance sector allocation and School sector allocation also. We didn’t fully spend. Left $4,030.
27. Ben Puritz stated that there has been a reserve for executives. The amount that was placeholder was $15,000. $9,200 of the $15,000 incorporated in various departments. $9,200 is in four departments with Executive for adjustments. DPW, $2,696. Administrative Assessor, $863. Fire Chief, $3,624. Council on Aging, $2,054. Difference between $9,200 and $15,000 reserve. $6,800 has been applied to two areas of budget. The Veterans budget and Law budget. Both Veterans and Law could use further funding. A small portion of the $15,000 was applied to the Law budget.
28. There was considerable discussion on the Selectmen sector budget.
29. Maria Anderson stated that the allocation $10,771,558 total. Allocation $10,261,558 by Priorities. Added $510,000 from Ambulance Reserve.
30. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Gordon Gladstone to decrease expenses in the Accountant’s budget by $2,000.
31. VOTED: 1-7-0. For: Alpert. Against: Anderson, Gladstone, Goodman, Kiernan, Lessard, Miller, Philips.
32. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Chuck Goodman to decrease the Civil Defense budget by $1,600 in the vehicle maintenance line item.
33. There was discussion on the motion.
34. VOTED: 2-6-0. For: Alpert, Lessard. Against: Anderson, Gladstone, Goodman, Kiernan, Miller, Philips.
35. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Joel Lessard to take $2,000 for the Horizons for Youth and $2,000 for the Recreation Department out of Revolving Funds, utility expense of DPW.
36. VOTED: 5-2-1. For: Alpert, Goodman, Kiernan, Lessard, Miller. Against: Gladstone, Philips. Abstain: Anderson.
37. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Chuck Goodman to allocate money from the Recreation Department’s Director’s salary to Revolving Fund, $6,500.
38. VOTED: 0-6-2. Against: Anderson, Gladstone, Kiernan, Lessard, Miller, Philips. Abstain: Alpert, Goodman.
39. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Joel Lessard to allocate 10% of the Director’s salary ($6,500) from the Lakefront Revolving Fund.
40. VOTED: 1-6-1. For: Alpert. Against: Anderson, Gladstone, Kiernan, Lessard, Miller, Philips. Abstain: Goodman.
41. A MOTION was made by Joel Alpert and SECONDED by Chuck Goodman to reduce In-State Travel budget by $500.
42. VOTED: 1-7-0. For: Alpert. Against: Anderson, Gladstone, Goodman, Kiernan, Lessard, Miller, Philips.
43. A MOTION was made by Joel Lessard and SECONDED by Maria Anderson to reduce Selectmen’s budget to $10,767,558.
44. VOTED: 6-1-1. For: Anderson, Gladstone, Goodman, Kiernan, Lessard, Miller. Against: Philips. Abstain: Alpert.
45. Ira Miller stated that the following items will be on the agenda at the next meeting: (1) fixed and uncontrollable budget; (2) water meter installation; (3) finish the appropriation of the budgets; (4) finish the Warrant articles.
46. The next meeting will be Monday, March 31.
47. It was MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.
48. VOTED: 8-0-0.
49. The meeting adjourned at 10:45 p.m.