Town of Becket Finance Committee
March 18, 2010 Minutes
Present: Ann, Steve, Jeremy, Mike
Absent: Amy Fyden
Also present: Tony Blair, George Fuller, Richard Pryor, Kathy Vsetecka, Geraldine Walter
Zina Jayne (1st 30 mins); Bert Goodermote (1st hr)
Meeting was called to order @ 7:00pm
- Becket Athenaeum presentation
Zina gave a detailed update on the Athenaeum’s financial condition & programs.
Request is $36,500. Needs total of $32,700 from Becket + Washington to maintain state certification. If cert. is lost, all Becket & Washington residents lose Inter-Library-Loan privs with ALL area libraries; and the Athenaeum is no longer eligible for state grants, and other things.
TASK: George Fuller to ask Washington select board to increase support for Athenaeum.
TASK: Zina to provide additional details (done by 3/23 via email to committee)
Decision is deferred until 4/1/10 FinCom meeting
- Dog Officer / Animal Control Officer position
Bert Goodermote (incumbent) presented details of incidents during past year, by type of animal. A considerable amount of work is for non-dog issues. Bert says he is certified as “Animal Control Officer”, and carries the relevant badge. A separate “Dog Officer” badge is not currently assigned. If the position is reduced to “Dog Officer”, homeowners would bear additional expense for calls related to wild animals, which would be handled by other agencies or private firms.
FinCom presented Bert with information on Dog Officer salaries collected from surrounding towns, and asked for his opinion. No response was given.
Richard Pryor asked if there was a written job description for this position.
TASK: TB to see if there is a written position-description.
Done by 3/19 (Nina Weiler). Position is titled “Animal Control Officer”
Bert offered to do the current job for $3,000 less than his current salary.
Later in meeting (during review of all line items), a motion was made & seconded to recommend to select board that the position be reduced to “Dog Officer”. Motion failed to pass (2 v 2)
- Minutes of 3/4/10 approved
- Follow-up tasks from 3/4/10 FinCom meeting
- TB to get input from Boards & Commissions with proposed budget-reduction. IN PROGRESS
- TB to follow-up on 75% reimbursement for veteran’s agent additional expense. NOT DONE.
- TB to discuss Highway Dept overtime with Lenny. DONE.
- TB to budget Free Cash. NOT DONE – to be done when FY 2009 is closed
- TB to get Free Cash certified. NOT DONE – will be done when audit is complete. Should go fast, since we’re late and DOR is not busy. We can spent FY09 cash until FY10 year-end (6/30/10). Expectation is we will not entire balance of FY09 free cash in FY10 STM.
TB suggests using Free Cash to increase Stabilization @ FY10 STM.
- Discussion of whether we can budget revenue from anticipated land sales. TB asked DOR.
DOR said Yes for equipment sales, where revenue flows to a specific line item.
DOR said No for land sales, since revenue flows to Free Cash
- If land is sold in April/May 2010, revenue could be certified as early as Sept/Oct 2010, and it could become available via STM at that time, e.g. to lower tax rate or for other purpose(s).
George Fuller asked if we can keep Highway Dept Surplus Equipment revenue in Highway Dept?
TB says no, must go to general fund. George asked has this revenue already been spent? TB says No.
George asked if budget request has been made for additional equipment maintenence.
TB says not yet, per LennyT’s most recent budget request.
- update on winter storm cleanup
$225,000 final FEMA reimbursement was received. Net cost to town was $72,000; $85,000 total budget.
BRD status has not changed. Still waiting on letter from town attorney.
TASK: TB to follow-up with town counsel.
Currently anticipate ~$19,000 deficit, not including free cash. Reduced by $13,000 excess in ice storm budget -> ~$6,000 deficit; easily offset by free cash.
TB recommends auction in FY2010.
Discussion about whether land values would increase in FY2011.
GF asks if land has clear title? TB says we are only selling land that a) has clear title; b) is buildable (or) has interested abutters. We are requiring higher minimum bids that in last auction, and reserve the right to refuse sale if minimum is not met. There are no hidden costs to the auction; we are not counting on the revenue for any particular purpose. We have BRPC-generated map; will notify abutters of land-sale; and land-sale will be professionally run.
VOTE: to recommend to Select Board that the town sell land in FY2010 – Passed
- FY2011 budget line-by-line review
Line 9. Audit. “Single audit” is required by Fed. Govt if town gets at least $500,000 in Fed. Grants in a single year. Town must audit at least 2/3 of granted amounts. We have already received EECBG, FEMA reimbursement, and have outstanding application for CDBG. Hence extra $ is budgeted for single-audit in case needed. OK
Line 31. Town Clerk Salary. Reverted to $25,174 since current town clerk has resigned
Line 39. Finance Committee expense. Orig 900. Current version 0. Increased to 100 for dues
Highway Dept section. TB says Lenny thinks he’s over-estimated overtime, which is why total budget is less than sum of lines. TB wants to budget at higher number (sum of lines) just in case. TB did not ask LT about summer OT hours, nor about Transfer Station labor.
Discussion with George Fuller about why Mark White is employed at Transfer Station. Answer: he saves Town $ as a mechanic, but there are not enough mechanic hours to give full-time position; he can only do it with additional hours at Transfer Station.
TASK: TB to follow-up with LennyT on : a) Summer OT hours; b) Transfer Station overall budget
TASK: TB to follow-up with LennyT on c) unbudgeted maintenance for Front-End loader, per George
Line 84 School Capital.
TASK: TB to follow-up with Marge Foster @ CBRSD v. line 167 “non-excluded portion of school debt”
Line 86/87 Vocation Tuition & Transport not yet known; will be known before budget is final
Line 95 Emergency Management
TASK: TB to speak with Ray Tarjick re proposed reduction for this line
Line 98 Fire Chief Stipend.
Long discussion about use of town vehicle; comparative salaries in other towns, and related matters
John Hall seems willing to continue at the present salaray
MF feels we should not give increase this year; given that no other town employees are getting raises
TB has asked John Hall to start logging calls & hours
TASK: TB to study salaries for comparative towns
Line 103 Ambulance Salaries. “Actual” column is based on last-5-weeks extrapolated for whole year. Estimate ~$225,000 / year annualized salaries.
TB has proposed Article 9, to establish Enterprise Fund for Ambulance, to clarify accounting.
Discussion that perhaps this line is less, once Ambulance Receipts are applied to salaries. Questions about timing of revenue v. budgeted salaries – will we have enough?
TASK: TB to discuss with Amy Lane & Kevin Fox
Line 113 Dog Officer Salary. See section (2) above for details. Recommend $7,400 per Bert’s offer
TASK: TB to find out where revenue from Recycling is accounted
Line 130: Council on Aging. Past year 5,000. TB recommends 6,000.
FinCom voted to hold @ 5,000. TB objects
Line 131. Outreach program. Hold until 4/1 meeting
Line 135. Recreation Commission. HOLD. TB to call Tina Lavasser
Line 136. Parks Commission. HOLD. TB to call commission members
Line 180. Stabilization. Despite need to increase Stabilization, reduce to $1 for FY2011.
Line 187. Computer Hardware Upgrade (Capital). TB proposed 5,000. Reduced to 3,000
Line 188. Children’s Annual Party. 500. Voted & passed (not unanimous)
Line 210. Town of Washington payment for Fire/Ambulance
TASK: TB to follow-up with Washington Select Board re possible increase
Town cannot legally donate funds; must always pay invoices when contributing money to other purposes. Contracts are needed for FY2011 for (at least) the following accounts:
Becket Arts Center
Becket Athenaeum
Dalton Community Recreation (CRA)
Outreach Services
Weed Treatment
- No further public input
- Next meetings April 1 & April 15.
TASK: for all FinCom members – review proposed Articles for April 1 meeting
Adjourn @ 10:42pm.
Respectfully Submitted
Jeremy Dunn
Clerk
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