A meeting convened at 7:30 pm in Town Hall.
Members present: Bothwick, Cabot, Croft, Herbster, Kenney, Putnam, and Swanson
Members absent: Carr
Others present: Town Accountant, Town Administrator, one citizen
Mr. Bothwick presided
ORGANIZATION
The Committee unanimously voted Mr. Bothwick to continue as Chairman, and Mr. Herbster to continue as Vice Chairman.
REQUESTS FOR TRANSFER – FISCAL 2007
The Town Accountant reported that operating budgets may be increased by $5,000 or up to 3% whichever is less, without Town Meeting approval, to fund transfers.
Planning Board – The Board requests $1,333.39 for salaries to fund extraordinary work load, $3,253.17 for printing and office supplies over budget, and $1,500 for professional services due to extra consultation related to the MERSD special permit decisions. The sense of the Committee is that the Board needs to notify voters earlier in the process to avoid lengthy handouts at Town Meeting.
Fire – The department requests $3,000 for large volume of EMS services, and $3,396 matching funds for the Federal Fire Grant. The Town Accountant recommends funding the matching funds amount from the Police salary account.
Legal – Litigation, cable contract negotiations, and under funding result in a request for $17,500. The Town Accountant recommends funding this request with $1,000 from Selectmen expenses, $5,000 from Debt Service, $1,600 from Police salaries, and $1,300 from Assessors’ expenses.
Library – The Library requests $1,244.72 to cover insufficient electricity costs.
Finance Committee – The request is for $195.79 to pay for the Town Meeting handout.
Mr. Herbster MOVED “to approve the above transfer requests, and to approve the funding sources recommended by the Town Accountant for specific items”. The MOTION WAS UNANIMOSULY ADOPTED.
Police – A vehicle was purchased for the new Police Chief, costing $19,931. The Town Accountant recommends funding this additional purchase with $4,000 from Treasurer/Collector salaries, $5,000 from health insurance, $5,000 from DPW salaries, $3,750 from general insurance, and $2,181 from Council on Aging salaries.
Workers’ Compensation – The request is for $1,000, and the Town Accountant recommended this be funded by the Audit account.
Mr. Herbster MOVED “to recommend approval and funding as the Town Accountant recommended”. The MOTION WAS UNANIMOSULY ADOPTED.
SCHOOL UPDATE – A budget analysis and cost projection spreadsheet, a budget summary, and a list of expenses to date were distributed. There is a meeting to discuss borrowing, and Mr. Bothwick will advise the Committee of details by email.
Mr. Kenney noted that the non use of the DPW Director during the planning of the school building project has already manifested itself in small omissions and/or mistakes, which may result in additional cost to taxpayers. Discussion ensued about the responsibility of the FinCom to report to the citizens on this project. The Chairman reported his understanding of responsibility is to monitor borrowing ability, and to monitor the disbursements, cash flow.
MINUTES – The minutes of 6/19/07 were unanimously adopted as written.
CPA – A bid for the bandstand came in at $200,000, against a $30,000 appropriation. The CPC will re bid in the fall.
The meeting adjourned at 8:48 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Judith Sabella, Clerk
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