Finance Committee Meeting
Minutes – March 16, 2009
Town Hall, Lower Level Hearing Room – 7:30 P.M.
Members Present: Maria Anderson (late), Brian Fitzgerald, Donald Gilligan, Gordon
Gladstone, Charles Goodman, Josh Kiernan, Joel Lessard, Ira Miller,
Edward Philips (Hamilton)
Absent: Jonathan Hitter, Laura Nelson
Other Attendees: Chief Joseph Bernstein, Marlene Chused, Bill Fowler, Greg Meister,
Rich Powell, Ben Puritz, Joe Roach
1. The first item on the agenda was discussion of salary increases in the Selectmen’s sector. In FY’09 budget 3% placeholder for salary. Other than the Police Patrolmen, no settled contracts for FY’09. In FY’10 another 2% placeholder. One point was bargaining in good faith.
2. There was considerable discussion regarding the 3% and 2% placeholders for salary increases. There was a suggestion to have a three-year contract. Some contracts have all other benefits locked in for three years with a one-year wage re-opener. Some unions have agreed to 70/30 health benefits for new employees.
3. There was much discussion on amount of estimated revenue and one time revenue conservatively estimating half for FY’10.
4. There was discussion regarding use of one time funds and allocation from Priorities. There was a suggestion to reconvene Priorities Committee regarding the allocation number for the budgets.
5. The next item on the agenda was the Finance Committee sector budget.
6. There was discussion regarding the level funded budget and the capacity through the allocation of Priorities for some additional funds above level funding. There was a suggestion to defer until after Priorities meeting. The Finance Committee sector budget should be fair and equitable to other sector budgets. There was a suggestion to build up the Stabilization Fund.
7. There was discussion on health insurance cost down by $274,000 because expenditures are down. Discussion on need to fill seven positions: One in Accounting; one in Library; one in Police Department; four firefighters.
8. A MOTION was made by Gordon Gladstone and SECONDED by Ted Philips to recommend to Priorities delegation to take position at Priorities to not raise 2% necessary to fund town side at amount to $156,000.
9. There was discussion on the motion.
10. A MOTION was made by Gordon Gladstone and SECONDED by Don Gilligan to withdraw the previous motion.
11. There was no vote but consensus of the Finance Committee was to not fund 2% at Priorities and to discuss again at next regular meeting.
12. Ira Miller questioned if there was an estimate of where the operating revenue was coming from to replace one-time revenue. $300,000 new tax revenue, one time $325,000, second payment from Brickstone. One-time money under estimating 50% 40R, unit payment $186,000 or $188,000 of local permanent money on Commons. Lot of one time money not on table. $274,000 back in surplus levy, money from health insurance. We don’t take all of Wilber tax credits. $1.111 million for Commons commercial for FY’11.
13. Bill Fowler stated that it was timing on new growth.
14. There was much discussion on this issue and excess levy capacity.
15. There was some discussion that Priorities meeting would discuss placeholders for salaries in Selectmen’s sector and a comment was made that there was wiggle room in the school budget.
16. The next item on the agenda was the Annual Town Report.
17. There was some discussion regarding the printing of the salary information in the Annual Town Report.
18. A MOTION was made by Joel Lessard and SECONDED by Gordon Gladstone that line item salary presented by department and alphabetized by department and subtotaled by department to be in the Annual Town Report.
19. VOTED: 5-1-2. For: Anderson, Gladstone, Kiernan, Lessard, Miller. Against: Goodman. Abstain: Gilligan, Philips.
20. Brian Fitzgerald had left the meeting at 9:30 p.m.
21. The next meeting will be Thursday, March 19, with Capital Outlay. The next regular meeting will be Monday, March 23.
22. It was MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.
23. VOTED: 8-0-0.
24. The meeting was adjourned at 10:25 p.m.