Finance Committee Meeting

Minutes – January 30, 2012

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

Members Present:  Arnold Cohen (late), Brian Fitzgerald, Gordon Gladstone, Charles

                               Goodman (late), Alexander Korin, Joel Lessard, Ira Miller, Jacqueline

                               Modiste (Hamilton)

                Absent:   William Brack, Laura Nelson

1. The first item on the agenda was the draft list of Warrant articles for the Annual Town Meeting.

2. Article 1.  Accept, adopt and implement FEMA Flood Maps.  Richard Singletary – issued into Town Ordinances.  Probably two separate articles.  One to issue and one to accept.  Peter O’Cain has most of the information along with Eric Hooper.  Gordon Gladstone will take Article 1.

3. Article 2.  Lessen number of seats for on-premises liquor licenses from 50 to 20 in certain districts.  Board of Selectmen.  Allow for people that don’t have space for liquor license.  Ira Miller will take Article 2.

4. Article 3.  Recreation Department – Re-evaluate purpose, number of members, etc…for Recreation Advisory Committee.  Committee has evolved.  Ben would come for that.  Joel Lessard will take Article 3.

5. Article 4.  Sacred Heart Committee – Appropriation to knock down Sacred Heart.  Gordon Gladstone will take Article 4.  Ben will come present.  RFP could be reissued or just demolish.  The estimate was $280,000.  This would be a direct appropriation.

6. Article 5.  Lake Management – Article to ban dogs from Veteran’s Memorial Park and Beach.  Chuck Goodman will take Article 5.

7. Article 6.  Conservation Commission – The Commission desires to have Town Meeting appropriate $130,000.00 to purchase approximately 5.49 acres of land adjacent to Beaver Brook (55 Richards Avenue) for Conservation purposes.  The Commission will seek all or a portion of the purchase price from funds available under the Community Preservation Act.  Ben didn’t have any information.  Brian Fitzgerald will take Article 6.  Have Conservation Commission with Corey Snow, Community Preservation Committee.

8. Article 7.  The Planning Board would like to create an Adult Use Zoning District in order to prevent the forcible location of adult uses in inappropriate locations.  Arnie Cohen will take Article 7.  Have Susan Price present this article on Monday, February 6, if ready.

9. Article 8.  Finance Department – Special within the Annual with three articles.  Article 1 – rescinds old articles, Article 2 – rescinds and reallocates funds, Article 3 – for debt budget appropriation.  **ADD 4^th ARTICLE FOR PURPOSES OF ALLOWING ASSESSOR TO RECLASSIFY REVAL MONEY FROM ENCUMBRANCE.*   *Will open and close Warrant at February 7^th, Selectmen Meeting.  Alex Korin will take Article 8.

10. Article 9.  COA – To allow eligible people who are homebound to participate in the work-off program by allowing another individual to take their place in the work-off program.

11. Article 10.  COA – Would allow the maximum reduction of the real property tax bill to be based on 125 volunteer service hours in a given tax year, rather than $1,000.(??).  Jackie Modiste will take Articles 9 and 10.

12. Article 11.  Water Department – Purchase of Diesso Property for $10,000 – for Water Department purposes.  Near intersection of E. Foxboro Street and Wolomolopoag Street.  Gordon Gladstone will take Article 11.

13. Article 12.  Permit all alcohol package stores in certain districts, Shaw’s, Sharon Commons and Route 1???  Placeholder.  Ira Miller will take Article 12.

14. Article 13.  Change General By-Law Article 8 – Hawkers and Peddlers (fingerprint follow-up from Attorney General).  Arnie Cohen will take Article 13.  Have Chief Bernstein come in for changes.

15. There was considerable discussion on presenting information at the Annual Town Meeting as was done last year.  Question whether to present same thing but updated, or something different.

16. Superintendent Tim Farmer is scheduled to present the preliminary school budget on February 13.

17. Priorities Committee Report:  They will be meeting Thursday to review FY’12 budget and look at first version of Priorities spreadsheet to see what will be for FY’13.

18. Capital Outlay Report:  All Capital requests are in.  One replacement of trailer behind DPW.  Three alternatives.  Need more information.  Continue to pay buy-down process.  Buy directly rather than borrow.  Next year will increase.  Fire Chief will make request of Capital for new ladder truck.  Also, $125,000 to do feasibility study for public safety facility, combined police and fire.  The next meeting for Capital Outlay is February 16.

19. The next meeting will be on February 6, 2012.

20. It was MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn.

21. VOTED:  8-0-0.

22. The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.