A regular meeting convened at 7:32 PM in Town Hall.
Members in attendance: Bothwick, Croft, Herbster, Kenney, Martin and Putnam
Members absent: Carr and Smith
Others present: Town Administrator, BOS Chair, DPW Director
Mr. Bothwick presided.
REQUEST FOR TRANSFER – F’08
DPW – Mr. Herbster MOVE D “to transfer $15,000 for DPW heating oil”. The MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED. State representatives are not pushing this joint project. The F’09 budget assumes the proposed fuel facility.
OPERATING BUDGET
DPW - The DPW is not locked into heating oil price according to the DPW Director. F’08 was not budgeted adequately for fuel increase experienced in spring and summer.
There has been an offer to the state to use the state facility and provide the Town’s own fuel.
The FinCom Chair recommended looking at budget expense for all departments at the end of September and moving forward; a quarterly check.
CAPITAL PLAN STATUS
The Town Administrator identified several projects.
Water and Sewer Vehicles – A recommendation to put $150,000 in the budget for an emergency fund
Waste Water Plant – There is a sizable break in the pipe on Beach Street and it is an emergency situation which must be repaired in the next weeks. A short circuit system contaminates the fresh water.
There is a large hole in the brook leading to the lift station around Rockwood Heights which the department cannot fix.
The clean water system of replacing 100-200 feet of pipe from the last manhole on Beach Street to the Hardware Store can be performed for $4,500, a price less than the $125,000 bid price.
The BOS recommend written notification to the Town Accountant to spend money not appropriated but for emergency situations. If the Town cannot stay within the levy limit, appropriation requires a Special Town meeting vote.
PINE STREET
The Committee received a report of to-date expenditures.
TREASURER’S OFFICE UPDATE
The Town Administrator reported that the payroll has not been reconciled, and cash and receivables have not been reconciled since February. The audit firm has been requested to reconstruct the fiscal year payroll and cash and receivables.
The plan is to retain Harpers payroll, and to train staff by October 1, to include payroll, expenditures cash and receivables.
The Town administrator identified that problems are a result of unwritten procedures and lack of training and cross training. He further suggested that there are fundamental problems with accounting and bookkeeping in theory. The auditors cannot determine where the problem exists.
Members of the FinCom suggested that the staff be cross trained and that the payroll be performed on alternate schedules by two different employees.
Suggestions from the Town Administrator are:
The audit will complete the mechanics of F ‘08
Training needs to be improved
Give permissions to the part time employee in the Treasurers Office
Eliminate sharing between the Town Accountant and the Town Treasurer
ESSEX COUNTY CLUB SETTLEMENT
The Essex County asked for a letter from the BOS to take to their Board of Directors’ annual meeting.
The letter suggests an arrangement to involve that the ECC receives an easement to keep the Town owned land, and the Town receives money to improve (pave) Mill Street, and link up water mains on School Street and Forest Street. The project will include an obligation to provide pressure for fire protection to areas north of Route 128. Some property owners may pay for this protection.
OTHER BUSINESS
Lars Swanson submitted his resignation. His resignation leaves a vacancy on the Community Preservation Committee. If you are interested in filling this vacancy please let the Chairman know.
The School received $10,000,000 from the state and expects to receive more. Temporary notes will be paid off and there is no interest on the $10,000,000.
There is a responsibility to educate the Town on a referendum to eliminate income tax.
The Town Administrator reported that the capital plan is not complete. He will be looking at F’10 to get a better idea if we need to consider a capital or debt exclusion. He raised the question whether the FinCom should play a greater role in explaining priorities (revenue projection) earlier in the Town Meeting process. A member of the FinCom suggested working with the Town Administrator to establish the budget rather that scrutinizing the budget. Another member questioned if that is that fits into the charge of the FinCom.
MINUTES - The minutes of 8/25/08 were unanimously adopted as written.
The next meeting is September 30, 2008.
The meeting adjourned at 9:21 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Judith Sabella, Clerk
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