Joint Finance Committee and
Capital Improvement Committee Minutes
Town of Bellingham – Municipal Center
Monday, April 25, 2011
1. FinCom Present: Raymond Szczepan, Roland Lavallee, Joseph Collamati, Katie Quinn, Carol Dill, Toni Picariello.
CIC: Roland Lavallee, Joseph Collamati, Mary Beth Cuomo, Judy Manning, Toni Picariello.
2. FinCom Absent: Henri Masson
CIC: n/a
3. Meeting called to order: 7:15 p.m.
Marilyn Mathieu and Richard Singleton and Alison McCall (Milford News reporter) appeared.
4. ARTICLE 1 - SCHOOL BUDGET
Supt. David Fischer, Deb Paige, Cheryl Gray, Stephen Patrick, Edward Fleury and Francis Cartier appear.
Deb Paige sent the answers to Raymond Szczepan Questions (which is attached), the list of Grants and list of Revolving Funds. She also passed out the information on the Elementary Projected Class Sizes for FY12
Received an email from Denis Fraine, dated 4/25/2011: The Selectmen will be re-voting the School budget this evening to decrease their recommendation on the Transportation by 100k and increase their recommendation on the Schools General Operating budget by 100k as requested by School Administration. I will send you a formal letter advising you of this action following their vote. I wanted to give you a “heads up" on this as I know you will be hearing the School budget tonight.
Roland Lavallee recused himself and sat in the audience.
School Budget: $19,939,986
5. ARTICLE 9 - AMEND ARTICLE 1
No. 303 School Transportation
From April 11, 2011 minutes: The estimated remaining transportation budget balance will be $150,000. The School department is requesting that $75,000 be transferred to School Expenses to pay for classroom supplies and materials; textbooks, copy paper and custodial supplies (paper towels/toilet paper). Money was saved by out-of-district student changes. Circuit Breakers funds do not reimburse transportation.
Raymond Szczepan/Katie Quinn motion to recommend the transfer of $75,000 from School Transportation to School Department. VOTE: 5/0/1 (Roland Lavallee recused)
6. ARTICLE 10 - Capital Outlay - School; Middle School Boilers ($600.00 from borrowing)
(Review FinCom recommendation re: funding) Special Town Meeting?
This request will have to be voted at a Special Town Meeting, on Monday, June 13, 2011. The MSBA (Massachusetts School Building Authority) requires a separate article worded a certain way to be voted by the Town Meeting before they can authorize reimbursement for the Boilers.
7. ARTICLE 10 - Road Improvements (Department of Public Works)
From 4/11/2011 Minutes: The Road Committee consists of Dawn Davies, Roland Lavallee, Joseph Collamati, Donald DiMartino, Denis Fraine, and Skip Goodnow.
The Road Committee met last week and observed many streets in Town and will choose roads that will be on the priority list. The following roads are at the top of the list.
Lake Street (most of it)
Nason Street
Maple Street (North Section); Engineering
Mann Street
$50,000 for Crack Sealing
$100,000 for Chip Sealing (Spraying asphalt and stone chips - lasts about 6 years)
Capital Improvement Committee: Joseph Collamati/Mary Beth Cuomo motion to recommend the Road Projects. VOTE: 5/0
FinCom: Raymond Szczepan/Katie Quinn motion to recommend the Road projects pending a specific list naming roads, repairs to be done and estimated costs. Funding: Borrowing. VOTE: 7/0.
Donald DiMartino distributed the Road Committee's Plan and List of projects/roads to be repaired. (see attached)
8. ARTICLE 9 - AMEND ARTICLE 1
Snow and Ice $645,000
All of the bills for this winter's Snow and Ice budget have come in.
Raymond Szczepan/Carol Dill motion to recommend transferring $45,000 from Debt Interest and $600,000 from Free Cash. VOTE: 6/0.
Fire Department $8,475
This amount is the Town's share of a $161,000 grant for a "Fire Training Facility".
Joseph Collamati/Katie Quinn motion to recommend transferring $8,475 from Ambulance Receipts Reserved. VOTE: 6/0.
9. ARTICLE 11 - NON CAPITAL OUTLAY (under $50,000)
EMPG (Emergency Management Performance Grant) Match $5,000
This is the Town contribution to the grant. The purpose of the grant is to assist state and local governments in enhancing and sustaining all-hazard emergency management capabilities.
Katie Quinn/Raymond Szczepan motion to transfer $5,000 from Debt Interest. VOTE: 6/0
10. ARTICLE 2 - TRASH ENTERPRISE
4/22/2011 Email from Denis Fraine: "Trash Enterprise” the motion will have a notation which reads “and to authorize an agreement in excess of three years”. The 20 year disposal contract with Semass expired in September and the best proposal we received was a 7 year deal with Allied for collection and disposal. Since it is in excess of three years we have to have this language included as part of the motion. Let me know if you need anything else.
A new trash program will start in September where residents will be given 2 trash bins, one for recycling and one for trash. Only trash that fit in the bins will be picked up. Anything large, the residents will need to call Department of Public Works for pick up. This will be at no extra charge.
Raymond Szczepan recused himself because a relative works for the trash company.
Joseph Collamati/Carol Dill motion to recommend the Trash Enterprise budget as follows and with the stipulation "and to authorize an agreement in excess of three years". Funding: Trash Enterprise receipts. VOTE: 5/0/1 (Raymond Szczepan recused)
Salaries: $26,882
Expenses: $1,504,300
Total $1,531,182.
11. ARTICLE 3 - WATER ENTERPRISE
Joseph Collamati/Katie Quinn motion to recommend the Trash Enterprise budget as follows. Funding: Water Enterprise receipts. VOTE: 6/0
Reserve Fund $50,000
Salaries: $733,881
Expenses: $1,305,518
Total $2,089,399
12. ARTICLE 4 - SEWER ENTERPRISE
Katie Quinn/Joseph Collamati motion to recommend the Sewer Enterprise budget as follows. Funding: Sewer Enterprise receipts. VOTE: 6/0
Reserve Fund $25,000
Salaries: $114,599
Expenses: $669,294
Total $808,893
13. ARTICLE 1 - TOWN BUDGET - $24,816,508.00
After discussing that the School Transportation figure will be reduced by $100,000 and the School Budget will increase by $100,000, the FinCom recommended:
Toni Picariello/Raymond Szczepan motion to recommend Article 1, Town Budget as follows. VOTE: 6/0
School Budget: $19,939,986
Town Budget: $24,716,503
Total Budget: $44,656,494
Funding: from Title V Receipts $20,559
From Taxation; $44,635,935
Raymond Szczepan/Carol Dill/motion to recommend $.40 for mileage reimbursement and that under Account 163 Registration the following stipulation be part of the motion: "The Board of Registrars is authorized to appoint one of its members, excluding the Clerk, to serve as Census Updater and to pay said Registrar $10.00 per hour, not to exceed $1,000 of the total expense budget." VOTE: 6/0.
14. ARTICLE 27 - UNPAID BILLS (FinCom)
There are no unpaid bills.
Joseph Collamati/Katie Quinn motion to pass over this article. VOTE; 6/0.
15. GENERAL DISCUSSION
A. FinCom Appointments
Toni Picariello will check to see if the members are going to be reappointed.
B. Accept the following Minutes:
FinCom: April 11, 2011
April 4, 2011 (Henri Masson)
March 28, 2011
January 24, 2011 (Joseph Collamati, Henri Masson)
Raymond Szczepan/Carol Dill motion to accept all the minutes above with minor corrections. VOTE: 6/0.
Adjourned:
FinCom: JS/Raymond Szczepan motion to adjoin. VOTE: 6/0. 8:55 p.m.
CIC: Joseph Collamati/Mary Beth Cuomo motion to adjoin. VOTE: 5/0. 8:40 p.m.
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