A meeting convened in Town Hall at 7:30 PM.
Members in attendance: Bothwick, Croft, Herbster, Kenney, Martin, Putnam and Smith
Members absent: Carr, Swanson
Others present: Town Accountant, Town Administrator, and BOS Chair
Mr. Bothwick presided.
OPERATING BUDGETS
The following budgets were reviewed by the Committee as satisfactory:
Town Clerk, Information Technology, Town Reports, Town Accountant, Legal, Town Hall & Common, Inspectors’
Election and Registration – There will be three elections in F’2009.
Parking Clerk – A larger amount of tickets are being written. Revenue is put into the General Fund under local receipts.
BOS – A corrected budget was distributed to reflect changes voted by the BOS. The departmental study amount is reduced to $5,000 because the fire department study is next in line and it is unlikely that the BOS study will be done in 2009; a $2,500 miscellaneous item is for gifts and ceremonial expenses provided by the Board. The telephone charges for Town Hall, including the elevator, and alarms were moved to Information Technology.
Pensions – A better figure will be available in March.
Insurance – The budget request does not include four new requested employees.
Conservation Commission – The BOS voted to include $300 to this budget request to purchase a tape recorder.
Sanitation – A corrected budget was distributed.
BUDGET OVERVIEW – The Town Administrator reviewed the decision to change the retirement Med Ex supplement insurance from two to three, which will save the Town approximately $50,000 in F’09. He has discussed this with the retirees, and reported that it does negatively impact some of them that are on fixed incomes. The prescription fees are higher, and the plan includes tiered deductibles.
The departmental budget requests include energy hikes, but may not be enough. There are several requests for new positions, but benefits have not been included.
The Police contract has been settled and will expire June 30, 2008. Taxpayers will be asked to accept and appropriate money at the STM. There is the need to increase the F’09 budget. Discussion ensued whether to recommend an increased F’09 budget, or adjust the budget after the vote at STM. The question was raised about whether a clause can be put into future contracts to allow the health benefit portion to be reopened if health insurance rates escalate. The Town Administrator reports that is not likely since the Town has coalition bargaining. It was also suggested that retirement candidates be placed on a different schedule to avoid paying overtime.
Suggestions were made to provide a cumulative growth rate on health insurance and pensions for retirees, to allocate retiree health insurance in departmental budgets, and to look at outsourcing services in the future.
There are large increases in the Police and DPW budgets. The Fire budget request maintains current services. The Assessors’ budget request includes funding for GIS.
The Town Administrator is preparing a capital plan, having completed buildings and vehicles so far. He is soliciting the department heads for projects. The new DPW Director has some large proposals for improvements and cost reductions.
REQUEST FOR TRANSFER
Workers Compensation – Mr. Herbster MOVED “to recommend approval of $5,358 for adjusted premiums”. The MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.
MINUTES – The minutes of 11/13/07 were unanimously adopted as written. The minutes of 12/03/07 were unanimously adopted with amendments.
The meeting adjourned at 9:30 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Judith Sabella
Clerk
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