MEETING POSTED, NO QUORUM

 

 

 

Finance Committee Meeting

Minutes – March 24, 2011

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

 

Members Present:  Gordon Gladstone, Charles Goodman, Josh Kiernan, Alexander

                               Korin, Joel Lessard, Ira Miller (Hamilton)

                Absent:   Maria Anderson, William Brack, Brian Fitzgerald, Keith Garte, Laura

                               Nelson, Edward Philips

 

1.      The first item on the agenda was to hear information on Citizen Petition Article 13 regarding charging all riders of school buses.

 

2.      Laura Salamons made the presentation.  State mandates that town/school provide free busing to students K-6 that live more than two miles.  State no longer reimburses.  $451,700 for K-6 mandated busing.  File Home Rule petition.  If voters approve, go through legislative process.  If it passes and gets signed, don’t have to adhere to law.

 

3.      There was much discussion regarding this article.  The School Committee had a tie vote.

 

4.      The next item on the agenda was the Recreation Department budget, with Director Brett MacGowan.

 

5.      Brett MacGowan stated that the only change in the budget would be increase in salaries from FY’11.  Contractual obligation and 2%.

 

6.      There was considerable discussion on the Recreation Department budget, especially actuals.

 

7.      The next item on the agenda was the Police Department budget with Chief Joseph Bernstein presenting.

 

8.      Chief Bernstein stated that the budget was status quo.  Level services, longevity reduced, reallocation, redid contracts, and brought in line.  Savings to town over next few years.

 

9.      There was considerable discussion on the Police Department budget.  Saved money on overtime with restructuring.  New vehicle rotation.  Three to four every year.

 

10.  There was discussion regarding parking regulations Article 16. Change to parking regulations to include snow emergencies and specific hours for overnight parking.  Difficulty with snow removal.  Parking ban on street during snow emergency.  Notification by Civil Defense radio, on cable, through Norfolk County Sheriff’s Department and School Department can send out phone message.

 

11.  There was some discussion on Article 17 regarding door to door hawkers and peddlers being fingerprinted and CORI checked.  Allows police to check on vendors that don’t comply.

 

12.  Discussed taser purchase.  Suggestion to purchase half at a time because batteries are a big expense and would all need to be replaced at once, but training for all to take place soon.

 

13.  Ira Miller reported on Priorities meeting to update revenue projections.  Finance Director gave us numbers.  They had changed.  Some plus and some minus.  We were ending up short to meet 2.41% allocation.  In discussion we still had other choices.  Overlay Reserve release could make up any short fall.  The vote to reduce allocation from 2.41% to 2.0% was defeated.

 

14.  There was some discussion on this report.  There was a change in revenue forecast numbers from the time it was voted.  Bottom line was same per sector allocation.

 

15.  The next item was Warrant Articles.

 

16.  Article 23.  Increase the number of members of the Council on Aging.  There was some discussion regarding expanding membership from seven to eleven.

 

17.  Article 11.  Change of use to allow for Cell Facility on Wolomolopoag/East Foxboro Street.

 

18.  Ben Puritz reported that there was a proposal from a private carrier.  Better than Mohawk site.  Expand use of public property to allow for telecommunications.  General municipal purposes include cell use.  $25,000 a year.  Revenue for town.  It is a new construction.  Monopole.  Other carriers can be put on monopole.

 

19.  There was some discussion regarding location, abutters, and revenue.

 

20.  Bill Fowler discussed the two versions of the revenue forecasts, version 1.01 dated February 8, first vote and version 1.02 dated March 22, second vote.  State aid .5%.  Education cut 7% then state aid went up .5%.  Low version 3.5% cut in state aid.  Mid up .5%.

 

21.  There was considerable discussion on the Revenue Forecast and that there was extra money from overlay reserve release.  Had to hold in reserve due to Department of Revenue and telecommunications litigation.

 

22.  Bill Fowler requested a Reserve Fund Transfer for Norfolk Agricultural School in the amount of $19,500 at $1,500 per student.  Didn’t know in time to make the budget.

 

23.  This transfer would be done at the meeting on April 11.

 

24.  Article 10.  To grant authority to extend date of re-inspection contract for three additional years by Board of Assessors.  To be discussed with Mark Mazur on March 28th meeting.

 

25.  Article 15.  Article to rescind capital borrowing.  Though the funds were authorized at Town Meeting, the monies were never borrowed.  To be discussed at March 28th meeting.

 

26.  Chuck Goodman reported that he and Maria Anderson, as taxpayers, met with the School Superintendent and the Business Manager, regarding information what the kindergarten fees should be.  Gave revised sheet.  Affects budgeting.  Parents paying for kindergarten all day are being over-charged.

 

27.  The next meeting scheduled was for the 28th.  Mark Mazur will be here to discuss Warrant article and overlay reserve release.  What was collected and when for litigation.  Bill Fowler to discuss last article, Revolving Funds.  Corey Snow will be here for the Community Preservation Committee articles.

 

28.  Another meeting was needed on Thursday, March 31, next week, at 7:30 p.m.  To take final votes.

 

29.  The next meeting will be Monday, March 28, 2011.

 

30.  It was MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.

 

31.  VOTED:  6-0-0.

 

32.  The meeting adjourned at 11:30 p.m.