Town of Becket Finance Committee
July 7, 2009 Minutes
Present: Mike Falk, Amy Fyden, Steve LaBelle, Jeremy Dunn
Absent: Ann Spadafora
Also Present: Tony Blair, Richard Furlong (2/3 of meeting)
The meeting was called to order at 7:00pm.
- Minutes of 6/11/09 FinCom approved.
- Review of FY2010 anticipated expenses
- Voc. Ed.: may have 1 extra student – probably low/no impact – still need to bid transportation
- Review of FY2010 anticipated revenues
- (+) MA Budget is passed; final Cherry sheet numbers slightly higher than budgeted
TASK: Tony to determine actual amount of increase and adjust budget spreadsheet
- (+) Pole Tax legislation passed. Should increase FY2010 revenue
TASK: Tony to determine whether this revenue is subject to levy ceiling
TASK: Tony to ask Assessors to determine actual revenue the town may expect
- (+) New Growth may be $30-40K greater than budgeted
- (=) no major contestation of assessments
- (=) none or very few houses sold below assessed value
- (-) Automobile Excise Tax: reduction in sale of new vehicles will decrease town revenue. Substantial portion of local receipts (~$180,000) due to vehicle excise tax.
- Reserve Account Transfers – All Approved
- $374 to Ambulance Exp.
- $1100 to Liability Insurance
- $291 to Memorial Day Parade
- $566 to Vocational Transportation
- $476 to Municipal Expenses
- $1303 to Payroll Tax
Balance in Reserve Acct. after these transfers is $87. No further transfers expected for FY09
- Review of Select Board transfers – All Approved
Signed at prior Select Board meeting:
- $641 from Planning Board Expense to Ambulance Expense
- $2318 from Planning Board Expense to Fire Dept. Expense
- $2350 from Health Insurance to Fire Dept. Expense
- $2817 from Health Insurance to Ambulance Salary
- $846 from Building Dept. Expense to Town Admin Salary
- $995 from Board of Health Salary to Town Secretary Salary (to split payroll across fiscal years 09/10)
- $214 from Select Board Expense to Ambulance Expense
- $1321 from Health Insurance to Highway Salaray
Prospective for next Select Board Meeting
- $168 from Health Insurance to Board of Health Expense
- $161 from Health Insurance to Dog Officer Expense
- $301 from Health Insurance to Police Expense
- $1235 from Health Insurance to Building Utilities
- $2500 from Unemployment to Highway Equipment (for Repairs)
No further transfers are expected for FY09
- Update on Ice Storm cleanup
- original contractor (Gordon) is done; some bills remains
- second contractor still working (no work this week); issues with extra trees cut; inaccurate tracking
- timeline extension till Aug 10 approved by FEMA
- we may choose to stop if we hit $85,000 budgeted amount
- work to begin at end of summer
- Treasurer will handle financing. Will not start financing until work commences
TASK: Tony to determine if we should finance in 1, 2, or 3 years and advise estimated additional property rate impact
- Tony has organized meeting with Dept. Heads. One subject is what physical improvements needed by each dept.
- Community Development Block Grant application will begin soon with help of Berkshire Regional Planning. One possible funding target is building repairs.
- Not For Profit Assessment Exclusion
TASK: Assessors to follow-up to determine if any camps should pay property tax (eg Y Camp)
TASK: Treasurer to pursue takings and Land Court resolutions/ Becket auctions
- CBRSD Regional Agreement Review Committee
- Reviewed MikeF memo to Select Board re: 6:1 decision of committee to change capital cost apportionment formula. Becket was sole vote against. New rules apparently count ALL children in town, including those who choiced-out to other school districts, in calculation of capital costs. Not clear exactly what impact this may have on the town. Also not clear why other towns would agree to this change; or what it may portend.
TASK MikeF to further update at next FINCOM meeting after speaking with CBRSD Business Manager and the next Regional Agreement Review Committee on July 28th
TASK: MikeF to determine the expected dollar impact to Becket
- Lengthy discussion of how these changes will impact town in the long term
- Need additional town representation on this committee. MikeF cannot continue
TASK: MikeF to bring this issue to Select Board; request they assist in finding rep. for committee
- MikeF is on search committee for CBRSD superintendent
October 24 in Eastern Mass. FINCOM members to advise if they would like to attend.
- Committee member availability for FY11 budget cycle
Jeremy away October 20 – December 6
Mike away Jan 15 – March 15
Committee needs to meet during MikeF absence. MikeF to participate by phone but can’t vote(Open Meeting rule)
There was no public input.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:55 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeremy Dunn
Clerk
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