Finance Committee Agenda
(with notes & history)
Town of Bellingham – Municipal Center
Monday, April 2, 2012 at 7:15 p.m.
LOWER LEVEL
1. FinCom Present:
2. FinCom Absent:
3. Meeting called to order: 7:15 p.m.
4. ARTICLE 21 - TITLE V, SEPTIC SYSTEMS/$300,000 (BOARD OF HEALTH)
From 3/26/2007 FinCom Minutes & 2009 ATM Recommendations: This article would authorize the Town/BOH to loan money to a homeowner who needs help with a Title 5 repair. The loan would be added as a lien on the borrower’s property. There is no tax dollars involved in this article.
Toni Picariello noticed that the M.L.G. was for not only sewage disposal systems, but also fuel storage tanks and de-leading dwellings. What stops someone from asking to borrow for fuel storage tanks or de-leading? The BOH sets the guidelines and this will only cover sewage disposal systems.
Roland Lavallee/Henri Masson motion to authorize $200,000 to be funded by borrowing. VOTE: 6/0
From 2010, 2011 ATM Recommendations: RECOMMENDED by the Finance Committee.
Funding: $300,000 from borrowing.
FinCom commentary: This Article allows the Town to offer a loan to homeowners in order to repair their residential failing septic system through the Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) Revolving Fund. This is only for existing septic systems. A homeowner with a problem can apply for the loan and if approved, will need to pay it back at 2% interest. The charges are placed as a lien (same as a betterment) on the property. The homeowner can pay-off the loan over 20 years.
5. ARTICLE 9 - AMEND ARTICLE 1
FIRE DEPARTMENT - EXPENSES/$7,500
6. ARTICLE 14 - NON CAPITAL OUTLAY (UNDER $50,000)
FIRE DEPARTMENT - BOAT MOTOR/$3,781.00
7. ARTICLE 1, ITEM 220 - FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET
Salaries Expenses Total
2009 actual $1,510.187 $91,450 $1,601,637
2010 actual $1,462,254 $94,897 $1,557,151 +$44,486
2011 actual $1,512.509 $93,058 $1,605,567 -$48,416
2012 $1,669,635 $120,933 $1,790,568 +$185,001
2013 $1,700,262 $125,560 $1,895,822 +$105,254
8. ARTICLE 23 - CIVIL FINGERPRINTING (POLICE DEPARTMENT)
9. ARTICLE 1, ITEM 210 - POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET
Salaries Expenses Total
2009 actual $2,580,718 $126,395 $2,707,113
2010 actual $2,392,217 $131,322 $2,523,539 -$183,574
2011 actual $2,440,501 $131,783 $2,572,284 +$48,745
2012 $2,478,070 $186,656 $2,640,495 +$68,211
2013 $2,515,326 $149,400 $2,664,726 +$24,231
10. ARTICLE 14 - NON CAPITAL OUTLAY (UNDER $50,000)
REVALUATION/$45,000 (ASSESSORS)
From 3/12/2007 FinCom Minutes: This is the yearly expenditure for revaluations. The $45,000 will be funded by Overlay Surplus Account. The balance in that account is $345,000.
The Overlay amount is determine by the Board of Assessors and is used to pay-out abatements. Whatever is left over goes into the Overlay Surplus Account. The Overlay amount is added to the Town budget. $200,000 is proposed for this upcoming budget.
From 3/31/2008 FinCom Minutes: Assessors – Revaluation; $45,000
This is the yearly appropriation for property revaluation for 1/3 of the Town. Each property needs to be revaluated every 3 years.
From 4/11/2011, 4/26/2010 FinCom Minutes: Assessors-Revaluation - $45,000 from Overlay Surplus.
This is the yearly request to prepare and update the revaluation.
11. GASB 45 ACTUARIAL EVALUATION/$9,800 (CFO)
From 1/28/2008 FinCom Minutes: Marilyn Mathieu wanted to let us know that the auditors will be at the Board of Selectmen meeting on February 4, 2008. There are no issues. The auditors will be stressing GASB45, an evaluation is required. The Town’s liability is approximately $27M. GASB is not requiring that we fund right now. We are paying as we go. In the future we will be required to fund the retirement.
GASB says our unfunded health insurance annual payment would be approximately $1.2M.
From 4/6/2009 FinCom Minutes: An amount of $7,500 to fund the GASB 45 Update was requested. The Town will be mandated to do a major actuarial update in 2011. This $7,500 will update the study we had done. Bellingham provides post employment benefits of health insurance at 50% to retirees.
From 8/9/2010 FinCom Minutes: GASB-45 Actuarial OPEB Valuation; $7,750. - For the Liability of Pensions and benefits. Bellingham's valuation is $32M.
From 8/30/2010 FinCom Minutes: GASB45 Actuarial OPED Valuation (CFO) $7,750.00 Free Cash
Marilyn Mathieu requested $7,750.00 to fund the GASB 45 Update. The Town will be mandated to do a major actuarial update in 2011. Bellingham provides post employment benefits of health insurance at 50% to retirees. GASB says our unfunded health insurance annual payment would be approximately $2.1M, with an unfunded liability of around $32M.
12. GENERAL DISCUSSION
A. Correspondence/Emails/Memo's etc.
i. Bellingham owed money for RI Students (Milford Daily News, 3/21/2012)
13. Adjourn:
|
 TOWN OF
BELLINGHAMFINANCE COMMITTEE Municipal Center 10 Mechanic Street Bellingham, Massachusetts 02019 |
Roland Lavallee, Chairman Henri Masson Joseph Collamati, Jr., Vice Chairman Toni A. Picariello Katie Mullahy Quinn Daniel Spencer |
|
March 21, 2012
Ann Odabashian
Town Clerk
Town Hall
Bellingham, MA 02019
Re: Finance Committee and Capital Improvement Committee Meeting Schedule re: 2012 May Town Meeting matters (2)
Dear Ms. Odabashian:
The Finance Committee will be meeting on the following dates at the Municipal Center for the purpose of discussing Warrant Articles and other issues relating to the 2012 May Town Meeting. All meetings will begin at 7:15 p.m. unless otherwise stated.
Monday, April 2, 2012 - FinCom
Article 21 - Title V, Septic Systems/$300,000 (Board of Health)
Article 9 - Amend Article 1
Fire Department - Expenses/$7,500
Article 14 - Non Capital Outlay (under $50,000)
Fire Department - Boat Motor/$3,781.00
Article 1, Item 220 - Fire Department Budget
Article 23 - Civil Fingerprinting (Police Department)
Article 1, Item 210 - Police Department Budget
Article 14 - Non Capital Outlay (under $50,000)
Revaluation/$45,000 (Assessors)
GASB 45 Actuarial Evaluation/$9,800 (CFO)
Monday, April 9, 2012 - FinCom
Article 18 - Grant of Easement (Petitioner: Coast Realty, Joseph M. Antonellis, Esq.)(Board of Selectmen)
Article 20 - Zoning Amendment (DMJ Concrete Corp, Rosenfeld Concrete Corp and Joseph Kauker, Trustee: Sherri Kauker)
Article 15 - Revolving Funds, No. 7 - Sealer of Weights and Measures/$25,000 (Board of Selectmen)
Article 16 - Meals Sales Tax (Board of Selectmen)
Article 1, Items 200, Department of Public Works Budgets
(Water), 300 (Sewer), 421 (Highway Admin.), 422 (Highway Maint.), 425 (Highway Equip)
Monday, April 23, 2012 - FinCom and Capital Improvement
Article 13 - Capital Outlay ($50,000 and over)
School Technology - Phase III/$185,000.00 (School Department)
Article 17 - Football Field Construction/$1,000,000.00) (Board of Selectmen/School Department)
Article 19 - Macy School Feasibility Study/$750,000.00 (School Department)
Article 1, Item 303 - School Transportation
Article 1, Item 300 - School Department Budget
Monday, April 30, 2012 - FinCom
Article 1, Item 154 - MIS Budget
Article 1 - (overall) Operating Expenses and Salaries (Board of Selectmen)
Article 2 - Trash Enterprise (Board of Selectmen)
Article 3 - Water Enterprise (Board of Selectmen)
Article 4 - Sewer Enterprise (Board of Selectmen)
Article 5 - Conveyances and Easements (Board of Selectmen)
Article 6 - Purchase of Surplus Equipment (Board of Selectmen)
Article 7 - Town Property Auction (Board of Selectmen)
Article 9 - Amend Article 1 - Budget (Board of Selectmen)
Article 10 - Amend Article 2 - Trash (Board of Selectmen)
Article 11 - Amend Article 3 - Water (Board of Selectmen)
Article 12 - Amend Article 4 - Sewer (Board of Selectmen)
Article 13 - Capital Outlay ($50,000 and over) (Board of Selectmen)
Article 14 - Non Capital Outlay (under $50,000) (Board of Selectmen)
Article 26 - Rescind Authorized Bonds (CFO)
Article 27 - Unpaid Bills (FinCom)
Monday, May 7, 2012 (Town Meeting Booklet due at Town Hall on May 11, 2012)
Article 14 - Non Capital Outlay (under $50,000)
Copy Machine/$7,500 (Planning Board)
Article 24 - Special Flood Hazard Area Requirements (Planning Board)
Article 25 - Parking Bylaw (Planning Board)
| 
